On the way to the Heart of the City Farmers Market on Sunday in Civic Center, we ran into the assembling grounds for the 44th annual Cherry Blossom Festival Parade.
It's a small function compared to the Gay Pride or Chinese New Years parades, but has a charm that is completely its own.
If you're a Japanese American Cub Scout or Boy Scout in San Francisco, this parade seems to be a rite of passage...
...and if you're a Taiko drummer from any race or culture, you're welcome too.
The contingent that seems to be growing larger every year are the Japanese anime fans...
...who dress up as favorite characters.
My friend Anthony Herrera once expressed his frustration with Japanese fashionistas with, "They look so cute in ANYTHING that it's just not fair."
There are plenty of cross-cultural participants but my favorites every year are the elderly Japanese women dancing gracefully up Polk and then Post Street.
For more coverage, check out Alex's photos at their destination in Japantown.
Lovely, evocative photos. I was thinking that those "elderly" ladies actually look younger than I do at 51, sigh. I wish you had more photos of the anime kids so I could show them to my anime-maniac daughter, but perhaps this post can just stay a treat for me.
ReplyDeleteWho's the hotty second from bottom?
ReplyDeleteDear Alex: Don't have a clue.
ReplyDeletethe man in the green has sexy legs!!!
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