TsukuBlog

■ Tsuchiura Sakura Festival 2008 ■

When:

March 22, Saturday to April 13, Sunday from 9am to 5pm

Venues:

the entire Tsuchiura City! - Kijo Park, Kijo Plaza, Mall 505, Urara Hiroba, Ottonuma Park, Sakura River and Shinkawa River banks, Manabe Elementary School, Tsuchiura Machikado Kura Daitoku, Ryuugamine (Suigou Tsukuba National Park), Koujou-an and Komachi-no Yakata

Events:
■ Kijo Park - April 6, Sunday from 10:30am to 4pm

Opening Ceremony, a local folk dance performance, a traditional music concert, performance by a local high school’s cheerleading club, street performances, “Walk Rallies” for a chance to win prizes (Drawings begin at 5pm), and a lot more.

■ Kijo Park and the Tsuchiura City Hall

Cherry blossoms will be illuminated during the festival

■ Tsuchiura Machikado Kura Daitoku

Sakura Kurabe Art Exhibit and 絵手紙(e-tegami, a style of letters with hand-drawn pictures) from March 22 (Sat)
to April 20(Sun). FREE shuttle bus service from Tsukuba to Machikado Kura Daitoku on weekends!!!
Buses will be leaving from the Tsukuba Station (Tsukuba Bus Terminal) once an hour between 10am and 4pm.
Exhibit spaces and Japanese room on the second floor of Daitoku will be closed on March 21 (Fri) and April 21
(Mon). Please visit the following articles in TsukuBlog for reference:
http://blog.alientimes.org/2007/04/sakura-themed-exhibit-in-tsuchiura/
http://blog.alientimes.org/2007/04/retro-bus-from-tsukuba-station/

■ Kijo Plaza across the street from Kijo Park

Takara Kurabe Exhibit. Closed on Wednesdays

■ Tsuchiura City Museum

The 29th Exhibition – The Story of Tsuchiura Cherry Blossoms.
From March 22 (Sat) to May 6 (Tue). Admissions: adults-105yen, elementary, junior and senior high school students-50yen. Students get in free on Saturdays, and everyone gets in free on April 6. Closed on Mondays. This museum is located directly next to the Kijo Park.

■ Hie Shrine (Niihari area)

Horseback archery ceremony on April 6, Sunday

■ Ottonuma Park Cherry Blossom Festival

Karaoke tourney, events co-sponsored by businesses in Orakawaoki, free 甘酒(amazake, sweet alcohol made from fermented rice/some don’t have any alcohol in it)

Some event schedules have not been announced yet. Please contact the Tsuchiura Tourist Association for more information.
Phone: 029-824-2810, Web: http://tutiura.727.net/index.html