National Cherry Blossom Festival http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org The Nation's Greatest Springtime Celebration Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:12:22 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Gala Dinner Cruise aboard the Odyssey http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/22/gala-dinner-cruise-aboard-the-odyssey/ http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/22/gala-dinner-cruise-aboard-the-odyssey/#comments Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:15:26 +0000 admin http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/?p=6117 Time: Boarding at 6 PM; Boat sails from 7 – 10 PM
Location: Gangplank Marina – 6th & Water streets, SW (map)
Cost: $150 / person; purchase tickets now.

Gala Dinner Cruise aboard the Odyssey

Cruise the Potomac enjoying a unique Washington experience that includes fabulous night views of the monuments as well as the cherry trees along Hains Point. Enjoy a three-course dinner, open bar, and dancing to live bands. Proceeds benefit the Festival in support of its diverse programming, largely free and open to the public.

Cocktail attire is recommended.

Reservations are required; space is limited. Tickets are now available for purchase.

Contact Information

National Cherry Blossom Festival
kirsten@downtowndc.org
P: 202-661-7567

Supporting Sponsors
]]> http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/22/gala-dinner-cruise-aboard-the-odyssey/feed/ 0 Japan Spring Opening Day Celebration http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/japan-spring-opening-day-celebration/ http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/japan-spring-opening-day-celebration/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:06:47 +0000 admin http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/?p=6033 Time: 11 AM – 5 PM
Location: Smithsonian: FREER|SACKLER – 1050 Independence Avenue SW (map)
Cost: Free

Celebrate the arrival of Japan Spring on the National Mall with bento boxes and tea, available for purchase in the Sackler Pavilion from 11 am – 2 pm. A Hokusai-inspired family activity and a demonstration of the dramatic art of kabuki will begin at 2 pm.
Japanese cuisine provided by Kushi.

Getting There

METRO: Smithsonian, Orange/Blue lines. Use the Trip Planner

Contact Information

Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
P: (202) 633-1000
E: publicaffairsAsia@si.edu
Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery website

]]> http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/japan-spring-opening-day-celebration/feed/ 0 Art of Darkness: Japanese Mezzotints from the Hitch Collection http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/art-of-darkness-japanese-mezzotints-from-the-hitch-collection/ http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/art-of-darkness-japanese-mezzotints-from-the-hitch-collection/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:02:26 +0000 admin http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/?p=6042 Time: 10 AM – 5:30 PM
Location: Smithsonian: FREER|SACKLER – 1050 Independence Avenue SW (map)
Cost: Free

Preeminent Japanese graphic art collectors Ken and Kiyo Hitch have chosen the Sackler Gallery as the future home for their 20th- and 21st-century Japanese prints. The first in a series of exhibitions to celebrate this gesture, Art of Darkness features approximately 20 prints and related copperplates that show Japanese artists’ innovative uses of the European technique of mezzotint.

Getting There

METRO: Smithsonian, Orange/Blue lines. Use the Trip Planner.

Contact Information

Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
P: (202) 633-1000
E: publicaffairsAsia@si.edu
Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery website

]]> http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/art-of-darkness-japanese-mezzotints-from-the-hitch-collection/feed/ 0 Masters of Mercy: Buddha’s Amazing Disciples http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/masters-of-mercy-buddha%e2%80%99s-amazing-disciples/ http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/masters-of-mercy-buddha%e2%80%99s-amazing-disciples/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 03:45:16 +0000 admin http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/?p=6039 Time: 10 AM – 5:30 PM
Location: Smithsonian: FREER|SACKLER – 1050 Independence Avenue SW (map)
Cost: Free

Kano Kazunobu’s (1816–1863) phantasmagoric paintings reflect a popular theme in Edo art: the lives and deeds of the Buddha’s legendary 500 disciples. This exhibition features selections from Kazunobu’s 100-painting series created between 1854 and 1863 for the important Pure Land Buddhist temple Zōjōji. Little-known and never before displayed outside Japan, Kazunobu’s epic series brilliantly imagines Buddha’s disciples at work in the world.

Getting There

METRO: Smithsonian, Orange/Blue lines. Use the Trip Planner.

Contact Information

Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
P: (202) 633-1000
E: publicaffairsAsia@si.edu
Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery website

]]> http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/masters-of-mercy-buddha%e2%80%99s-amazing-disciples/feed/ 0 Hokusai: 36 Views of Mount Fuji http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/hokusai-36-views-of-mount-fuji/ http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/hokusai-36-views-of-mount-fuji/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 03:42:13 +0000 admin http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/?p=6037 Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) contains images of worldwide renown, including Beneath the Wave off Kanagawa, better known as The Great Wave. ]]> Time: 10 AM – 5:30 PM
Location: Smithsonian: FREER|SACKLER – 1050 Independence Avenue SW (map)
Cost: Free


The most acclaimed print series by Japan’s most famous artist, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) contains images of worldwide renown, including Beneath the Wave off Kanagawa, better known as The Great Wave. As part of the Japan Spring celebration, the Sackler presents examples of all the prints in the series, including several rare, early printings. This exhibition complements two Hokusai installations currently in the Freer: Paintings and Drawings, on view through June 24, and Japanese Screens, on view through July 29.

Getting There

METRO: Smithsonian, Orange/Blue lines. Use the Trip Planner

Contact Information

Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
P: (202) 633-1000
E: publicaffairsAsia@si.edu
Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery website

]]> http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/hokusai-36-views-of-mount-fuji/feed/ 0 The Art of Kabuki: Bando Kotoji http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/the-art-of-kabuki-bando-kotoji/ http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/the-art-of-kabuki-bando-kotoji/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 03:38:46 +0000 admin http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/?p=6047 Time: 2 PM
Location: Smithsonian: FREER|SACKLER, Meyer Auditorium 1050 Independence Avenue SW (map)
Cost: Free
Tickets required. Please visit the F|S admission information page for more information.


Traditional dance master Bando Kotoji demonstrates scenes from famous kabuki plays, offering special onstage instruction for select audience members. Organized by the Japan Society, with funding from the Japan Foundation.

Getting There

METRO: Smithsonian, Orange/Blue lines. Use the Trip Planner.

Contact Information

Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
P: (202) 633-1000
E: publicaffairsAsia@si.edu
Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery website

]]> http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/the-art-of-kabuki-bando-kotoji/feed/ 0 Castles in the Sky: Miyazaki, Takahata, and the Masters of Studio Ghibli http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/castles-in-the-sky/ http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/castles-in-the-sky/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 03:32:53 +0000 admin http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/?p=6052 Time: 10 AM – 5:30 PM
Location: Smithsonian: FREER|SACKLER, Meyer Auditorium – 1050 Independence Avenue SW (map)
Cost: Free


Special guest: Helen McCarthy, author of Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation.

This year’s marathon, cosponsored by Otakorp, Inc., is part of Castles in the Sky: Miyazaki, Takahata, and the Masters of Studio Ghibli, presented in celebration of the centennial of the National Cherry Blossom Festival with the AFI Silver Theatre, the National Gallery of Art, and the Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan.

Ponyo
11 AM
A young boy meets Ponyo—part fish, part human—who escaped from an evil scientist. Ponyo tries to use magic to become human, but larger forces threaten to upset the balance of nature.

Porco Rosso
1:30 PM
A swashbuckling aviator—who happens to be a pig—battles evildoers in this eccentric adventure, set in 1920s Italy and filled with aerial derring-do.

Princess Mononoke
4 PM
Humans, gods, and demons battle over an unspoiled forest in this epic fable on ecology and spirituality, which set new benchmarks for anime and catapulted Miyazaki to international renown.

Spirited Away
7 PM
A young girl stumbles into a mysterious spirit world populated by creatures from the depths of Japanese mythology. This Oscar winner remains the highest-grossing film in Japan’s history.

Getting There

METRO: Smithsonian, Orange/Blue lines. Use the Trip Planner.

Contact Information

Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
P: (202) 633-1000
E: publicaffairsAsia@si.edu
Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery website

]]> http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/castles-in-the-sky/feed/ 0 Tatebanko: Japanese Paper Dioramas http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/tatebanko-japanese-paper-dioramas/ http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/tatebanko-japanese-paper-dioramas/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 03:24:36 +0000 admin http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/?p=6054 36 Views of Mount Fuji. In the classroom, create a layered miniature diorama (tatebanko) using images of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai’s landscape prints to explore his use of perspective.]]> Time:
Saturdays, March 24 and March 31: 2 PM
Sundays, March 25 and April 1: 2 PM
Location: Smithsonian: FREER|SACKLER, Freer Information Desk, 1050 Independence Avenue SW (map)
Cost: Free


Use an activity guide to explore the exhibition 36 Views of Mount Fuji. In the classroom, create a layered miniature diorama (tatebanko) using images of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai’s landscape prints to explore his use of perspective.

Getting There

METRO: Smithsonian, Orange/Blue lines. Use the Trip Planner.

Contact Information

Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
P: (202) 633-1000
E: publicaffairsAsia@si.edu
Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery website

]]> http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/tatebanko-japanese-paper-dioramas/feed/ 0 Anime Artists Encounter Arhats http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/anime-artists-encounter-arhats/ http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/anime-artists-encounter-arhats/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 03:20:29 +0000 admin http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/?p=6057 Time:
Saturday, April 14: 2 PM
Sunday, April 15: 1 PM and 3 PM
Location: Smithsonian: FREER|SACKLER, Sackler Sublevel 2, 1050 Independence Avenue SW (map)
Cost: Free

Use a manga-style activity book to explore the exhibition Masters of Mercy: Buddha’s Amazing Disciples. Then return to the classroom for instruction in anime and manga drawing from an anime artist.

Getting There

METRO: Smithsonian, Orange/Blue lines. Use the Trip Planner

Contact Information

Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
P: (202) 633-1000
E: publicaffairsAsia@si.edu
Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery website

]]> http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/anime-artists-encounter-arhats/feed/ 0 Before Dawn http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/before-dawn/ http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/before-dawn/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 03:16:39 +0000 admin http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/?p=6059 Time:
Saturdays, April 21 and 28: 2 PM
Sundays, April 22 and 29: 2 PM
Location: Smithsonian: FREER|SACKLER, Freer Information Desk, 1050 Independence Avenue SW (map)
Cost:Free


Create your own printing block using Styrofoam. Then use two traditional Japanese blue pigments and Prussian blue, which was introduced in the Edo period (1615–1868), to print landscapes that convey the soft light of early dawn, just as Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai did in his Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.

Getting There

METRO: Smithsonian, Orange/Blue lines. Use the Trip Planner

Contact Information

Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
P: (202) 633-1000
E: publicaffairsAsia@si.edu
Smithsonian: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery website

]]> http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/2012/02/21/before-dawn/feed/ 0