Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Blossom Festival

I went to West Covina Civic Center to see the cherry blossom on April 28th with my friend. When we got there, I felt a little bit disappointed because there is no cherry blossom over there. Why did it call “cherry blossom festival” without cherry blossom? Although there was no cherry blossom, there were many vendors and shows in the Civic Center.

The first show was shinkendo. Shinkendo is a style of Japanese swordsmanship. Shinkendo is a martial art that teaches the way of armed samurai combat. Proper practice of Shinkendo should provide one with not only a strong body and mind, but also a calm, clear and focused spirit. Shinkendo was founded by Toshishiro Obata, a life-long martial practitioner whose skill is the result of many years of training and teaching experience. There are five main areas in the study of Shinkendo: drawing and cutting techniques, drills and exercises with a partner, formalized sequences of pre-arranged fighting movements, solo, skill-building focus drills, and test-cutting using a live (sharp) blade. Shinkendo teaches the student to use a sword safely and effectively. Because the use of a real sword is the ultimate goal of training, Shinkendo must be studied and practiced carefully and seriously.

After seeing the shinkendo, we saw the Hula dance. Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song. It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands. I only saw women danced on the stage, so I thought it is a dance only by women. But, my friend told me that hula can be dance by both women and men. Hula is the soul of Hawaii expressed in motion. No one knows its exact origins but Hawaiians agree that the first hula was performed by a god or goddess which makes the dance a sacred ritual. Every movement in hula has a specific meaning, and every expression of the dancer's hands has great significance. The movements of a dancer's body might represent certain plants, animals, and even war. Chants accompany the movements and aid...