The boughs of 200 cherry trees sway gently in the wind at Cupertino's
Memorial Park, their pink blossoms announcing the arrival of spring.
The soft, white petals also signal the approach of Cupertino's
annual Cherry Blossom Festival, which has brought Japanese culture, cuisine
and crafts to the city for the past 13 years.
The festival also brings thousands of people to Memorial Park,
last year drawing a crowd of 35,000. Festival organizers are hoping for an
even higher attendance at this year's event, which takes place this weekend
at Memorial Park.
"Already my phone is ringing with people asking what time the
taiko drummers will be playing," said festival coordinator Lucille Honig.
The trees were presented to Cupertino by its Japanese sister
city, Toyokawa, in 1983.
Cupertino, in return, has presented Toyokawa with a replica
of the sculpture in front of the city's library, of a Spanish conquistador's
helmet.
But the two towns, separated by 5,200 miles of ocean, have
exchanged more than gifts over the years. Since 1978, junior high school students
from Cupertino and Toyokawa have visited each others' countries, living with
host families and experiencing the culture of a foreign land.
This fall, 10 Japanese students and two chaperones will visit
Cupertino for about a week.
"We introduce them to American culture," said Honig, who has
hosted several students over the years. "We take them to see the City Council,
give them a tour of De Anza College, the high school and a junior high. Host
families do things with them on the weekends, maybe miniature golf, a trip,
games--whatever the host family wants to do."
Cupertino students will visit Toyokawa in June 1997. To defray
travel costs for local students, the Cupertino-Toyokawa Sister City Committee
organized the Cherry Blossom Festival featuring the food, entertainment and
arts of Japan.
"People from all over the valley attend the festival," said
Honig, who is president of the sister-city committee. "The food is outstanding
and we offer great entertainment free."
The event features the music of Japan performed by San Jose
Taiko, San Francisco Taiko and San Jose Children's Taiko--groups featuring
ceremonial drums--a shakuhachi (flute) and koto (harp) duet, Suzuki violinists,
and folk and classical dancers.
For martial arts enthusiasts, the weekend also includes demonstrations
of Japanese fencing, judo, dueling with swords and staffs by local organizations.
Cultural displays, demonstrations and lectures taking place
at Quinlan Center include ikebana (flower arranging) bonsai (miniature trees),
shodo (calligraphy), dolls, origami (paper folding), sumi-e (brush painting),
embroidery, jewelry and clothing.
A special area set aside for children offers arts and crafts
projects. Last year, tasty treats included gyoza (the Japanese version of
pot stickers), chicken, beef and hot-dog teriyaki, yaki soba (noodles), potato
croquettes, California roll sushi and fruit shish kebabs. And for those who
couldn't do without their cuppa Joe, one stand offers coffee. Honig says the
same vendors, mainly local nonprofits, will be operating and she expects them
to offer the same food.
Honig said she and her husband got involved in the sister-city
organization when they saw how much their oldest daughter, Barbara, enjoyed
her visit to Toyokawa.
"We saw what a wonderful experience our daughter had, so we
got really excited about it and started participating."
The exchange program runs mainly through the help of volunteers,
Honig said.
"Our goal is to continue the program. We are looking for host
families for the students coming in October."
The sister city has done more than its share to keep the program
going, according to Honig. A few years ago it footed the entire bill for the
Monta Vista Madrigals to visit Toyokawa.
"They get regular people, not just VIP's, to come over. Men
were hanging out the bus windows, with cowboy hats and American flags, crying
because it was time to go," she said.
"It's a special relationship; it's an immediate bonding when
you host someone in your home; it often becomes a lifelong friendship. During
the earthquake of 1989, we received lots of calls from people in Toyokawa
who were concerned.
"The program gives children an opportunity to get to know other
cultures and different customs," Honig said. "Like we have cereal for breakfast
and they have rice. We had them keep a journal and one wrote, 'Host mother
goes to bed before host father,' and 'We knew we were in America when we saw
the big people.' ''
Gift-giving is an important social custom in Japan. Honig said
students should bring gifts to hosts: "Lipstick, See's candy, handmade items--little
treasures that are given back and forth as mementos. Gifts don't have to be
expensive,;it's the thought that counts."
Katie Stokes, 18, traveled to Toyokawa four years ago.
"It was a wonderful experience. People were willing to invite
us into their homes; they made us feel so welcome," Stokes said.
"In Japan, kids perform janitorial duties at school. They wear
a different pair of shoes for outside, for the classroom, for the gym and
the bathroom.''
Teaching methods are more structured, Stokes added. Students
don't talk among themselves in class.
During her visit, Stokes became friends with Masako Suzuki,
who stayed with Katie's family the following autumn. "We still write regularly,"
said Stokes. "Our families have developed a lasting friendship."
Cupertino High School student Todd Miyakawa, 16, his older
brother David also took advantage of an opportunity to visit Japan by participating
in the exchange program. "Over there, people act different," Miyakawa said.
"They are quiet, more private, trusting and well-behaved. Students never talk
out of turn in class." He said he still keeps in touch with his host family.
"We exchange Christmas cards." Shingo Numata, with whom David stayed, came
to spend time with the Miyakawa family in Cupertino.
Both Stokes and Miyakawa said the program was a great experience
and highly recommend it.
"Proceeds from the festival will help cover the costs of our
exchange program students," Honig said . "Last time, the cost of the plane
ticket was up to $1,800. Toyokawa houses and feeds them for seven to eight
days."
The Cherry Blossom Festival, which will take place April 13
and 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Memorial Park in Cupertino, is cosponsored
by Apple Computer Inc., Kaiser Cement, the city of Cupertino, Los Altos Garbage,
Communicart and the San Jose Mercury News. Admission is free.
For more information about the exchange program, or to become
a host family, contact Lucille Honig, 257-7424.
By Cristy Shauck
Photograph by George Sakkestad
