Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Musicians from the Fujimoto Kai group of San Francisco performed both Japanese songs and American classics like 'Swanee River' at the Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival.
Festival helps students bloom
Recent celebration helped raise money for middle-schoolers to go to Japan
By Jennifer Zhang
The 19th annual Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival, a spring celebration honoring Cupertino's sister city of Toyokawa, Japan, took place on April 20 and 21 at Memorial Park. Visitors enjoyed a variety of activities, as well as cultural exhibits and performances designed to expose Cupertino and surrounding communities to Japanese culture.
Event proceeds benefit nonprofit Cupertino-Toyokawa Sister City Inc. According to Marge Taniguchi, treasurer of the organization and co-chairwoman of the festival committee, festival profits support the student exchange programs, which have been active for the past 24 years.
Each year, 10 middle school students are selected from many applicants of the Cupertino school district as delegates to travel to Toyokawa. The selection process is highly competitive, as each interested student is required to complete an application, submit an essay and two recommendation letters from teachers, and interview with the selection committee.
Selected students must attend weekly lessons to prepare for their trip, learning to speak simple Japanese phrases as well as show proper etiquette.
The trip usually takes place in July and lasts for a week. During their stay, the students are paired up to live with Japanese host families. Besides sightseeing, the students participate in activities in the community, as well as interact with their host families.
"Unlike staying in a hotel, staying with a Japanese family allows students to see what life is really like in Japan," Taniguchi said. "They get to interact with family members, which leads to a deeper understanding of-as well as respect for-the culture."
Eighth-grader Visish Srinivasan of Cupertino Middle School is one of the students selected for this year's program.
"I love to travel," Srinivasan said. "I have never been to Japan, so I am looking forward to visiting Toyokawa. I want to learn about my host family and Japanese culture."
Having been to India, China and many European countries, Srinivasan, 14, is already a very experienced traveler. Although he is one of the lucky 10 students selected, Srinivasan has not arrived at his current position without difficulties. He said he has applied to be a delegate for the past two years. After being put on the waiting list each time, he finally succeeded this year.
Srinivasan is one of the five students selected from Cupertino Middle School. The other five delegates are from Kennedy Middle School and Hyde Middle School.
Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
An Ikebana vase crafted out of bamboo was on display as part of a bamboo exhibit at the Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival.
These students will be accompanied by two adults on their weeklong trip. Like the students, prospective chaperones also go through a competitive selection process. This year's chaperones are Athena Scourkes and Maureen Medeiros, both teachers at Portal Elementary School.
Medeiros went to Japan 17 years ago as a student delegate. She enjoyed her experience and is excited about the opportunity to visit Toyokawa again. Scourkes has never been to Japan.
"I am excited about the opportunity to make new friends, as well as learn about Japanese culture," she said.
After Cupertino's students visit, Toyokawa will send its student delegation to Cupertino in September as part of the exchange program.
The student delegates and chaperones were introduced to the public at the festival. As a requirement of the program, they all volunteered their time to the event.
In the past few years, proceeds have been sufficient to cover all travel costs for the delegates and chaperones. This year's event was expected to be equally successful.
Cupertino Sister City Committee President Lucille Honig said, "[The festival] gets better each year. It benefits a wonderful program because it offers a great opportunity for young students to learn about Japanese culture. We all feel very strongly about it."
Cupertino, California Since 1947
