Sakura Matsuri 2015 (Japanese Street Festival)

Hey DrunkenAnt~ here
after the 2015 Sakura Matsuri

Took place on the 11th of April this year and I can say I was exited to go again.
I been going to the Sakura Matsuri since 2008
Way before I started blogging, chronically watching anime, and hoarding anime figures. 

Tickets this year are the same as last~

$10 @ Door
$10 Online
$08 Early Bird Online

Link of Last years Blog


The group and I took the Metro to the Festival.
Metro is the best way to to travel during this time as they shut down many of the roads making it almost impossible to drive.
I heard from one women it took her Three hours to get to the Festival by car last year.
She admitted to her mistake. She may of been exaggerating but I can feel its would be a pain to drive.

Best Metro Train station to get off at "Metro Center" off the Red Line or
"Federal Triangle" off Blue/Orange Line
It all depends were your coming from.

It may just be me but it was very crowed and
jam packed with people this year.
That may be a plus for others but it made it hard to get to one place to another with my group of five with out losing someone. Difficulty  Looking at booths and long lines come with large crowds too.

I didn't get many photos of Cosplay this year due to the large crowed. The crowed made it hard to spot Cosplay and if i did spot one it was hard to get their attention or hard to "chase" just for a photo.

Wow~ Look at all the people

So it made me wonder why they had this Torii Gate were it is in this photo.

Wiki says:
"Torii Gates symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred.
The presence of a Torii at the entrance is usually the simplest way to identify shrines. "

So why does this one lead in to the chain link fence ?

Sakura Matsuri 2013

I liked it in this orientation back in 2013

So I end up playing this "Jeopardy"
I guess someone owns the name "Jeopardy"
So its called "JetPardy" today

Had to get 700 points within four questions
to get a "Big" prize and anything lower you get the things seen on the table
and some candy if you have a really low score.

I went for "Japanese Words 400" to start

"Japanese word meaning death from overwork"

Highlight for Answer: [ Karoshi]

I got this one wrong... I remember reading about it somewhere but could not remember the word.

Next I went for "Pop Culture 400"

"What Pop Metal Fusion band formed in 2010"

Highlight for Answer: [ Babymetal]

I got this one right~ I yelled out the answer before the host
finished the question so~
The question up there is some what of a guess.
I remember hearing "Pop Metal Fusion."

Next I went for "Pop Culture 300"

A farming simulator that started on the Nintendo home gaming system and is now any many other platforms. 

Highlight for Answer: [ Harvest Moon]  [Bokujō Monogatari]

I was also asked if i knew the Japanese name of the game and I didn't...
But still got the points~
I had to think about the answer for this for a bit but I knew it~

As of now I have the 700 points needed for the "Big Prize"
The host said to keep going as I had one more question

 So Finally I went for "Food 400"

"What European country introduced fried food to Japan? Like Tempura"

Highlight for Answer: [ Portugal]

I had no clue.... I took a crazy guess on Germany
and I was super wrong..

So with 700 Points the Host brought out a ten gallon bucket full of things.
Things like CDs, posters, calenders, and other Nic-Nacs

I decided to get the English-Japanese
"Talking Business in Japanese" Phrases Book

So looking at this you may wonder what is going on in this photo,
It happens to be a game involving chopsticks.

You are given 90 seconds to transfer as many of the items in the bowl to the other bowl on the opposite end of the table.

Cotton Ball ~ 1 Point
Eraser ~ 2 Points
Bean ~ 5 Points

Looks like the beans were 3 points than changed to 5
but from what I remember from the other years its supposes to be 5 points

Go for them Beans~ !

To me its surprisingly fun~

Other than that I didn't really do anything else
I didn't buy any thing or get any food
Just looked around a bit than went home~

Make sure to check out all the photos on the Desu Chronicles Facebook Page: Link

Many Thanks~ See you next time

Sakura Matsuri 2014 (Japanese Street Festival)

Hey~ DrunkenAnt Desu

April 12th was the day of the festival
Its held every year in Washington DC on Pennsylvania Avenue
They shut down the whole street just for the festival.

Its more of cultural festival but you can still spot a number of cosplays
I took many photos of the passing cosplayers

After the festival I notice a few cosplayers mentioning that they didn't like people taking photos of them without asking. However, this not being an anime convention, most of the people there don't know con-etiquette. I think those people just think its part of the festival

JPOP Stage in Front of United States Capitol Building

I the best way to get to the festival is by DC Metro Train. I think most people take the train as it drops you off right in side the festival.

Metro Center

The festival is always laid out this way, with the "J-Pop" stuff on the East side and the "Culture" stuff on the West. I spent the whole day Just walking up and down end to end looking at things.

The shops on the "J-Pop" side sold a few anime nic-nacs, trading figures, Japanese snacks and other random things.I ended up not buying anything at all.

Figures

Nothing really tickled my fancy at this little shop.
They taped the boxes together so people won't steal them.

 

So if your willing to pay for one of these you ask the guy and he whips out the
scissors to cut the tape off.

Nendoroid Petites

 Poor Hibiki looks like shes passed out from the heat :(

Some guy had the shop keep take these out `Cause he wanted to buy them.
So I took a few shots of them~ `Cause that what I do best ♥

The buyer was a bit disappointed that the shop didn't have the boxes and won't give him a discount on an already over priced figure.

As a big fan and collector of anime figures not having the box is losing half the art work. Someone designed the box, and it is part of the figure its self.

Some Old Sailor Moon Stuff

Snacks~

Masks

I don't think any Japanese festival is one with out these Mask~

Food~

I stood in a long line to get some food~
The lines for food are kinda long. Your going to have to wait a good 30 minutes to get anything.
I ended up getting

Chicken on a Stick $6
Veg Lo Mein $6
Thai Tea $4
"Fresh" Lemonade $4

It wasn't to bad for $20 for both my Sister and I
The Lo Mein was cut up into shorter strings for easy eating but the Chicken on a  Stick is what it sounds like. I wish they just cut it up in to smaller pieces for easy eating.
I just ended up using my hands and ripping the chicken~

I took so good photos of the passing cospalyers but I'm not going to post them all here~
You can check them out on my Facebook page: Sakura Matsuri Album
(I'm thinking about making a Desu Chronicles Facebook fan page~ Maybe some time down the line)

I'll post my most favorite shots here:

Just Wow~ She looks so Wonderful
Cosplay looks very well done and the cosplayer does such a cute pose and smile

Who doesn't like over exited maids~
I love that pose with both hands out like that

The best maid was the one by the "Fish Scooping Pool"

Well They used rubber balls and not fish but its the same idea.

I took a candid shot of her and its such a nice photo~ 
Her natural expressions are super cute

Of course I asked her for a photo~

Super cute maid outfit~

Add caption

Candid shot of some kid rocking out on a Samisen

Maybe one day he can rock out like this guy~

Nothing more fitting at Sakura Matsuri than Sakura from Tsubasa Chronicles

Best Photo~

I'll leave you with the best photo ever
Till next time~
Many Thanks from DrunkenAnt~

Link to Facebook Album:
Sakura Matsuri Album Link