TORRANCE — The 48th annual Bunka-Sai, a Japanese cultural festival, will be held on Saturday and Sunday, April 15-16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ken Miller Recreation Center, 3341 Torrance Blvd. (at Madrona Avenue) in Torrance.
The two-day event will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Torrance’s sister-city relationship with Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture. Proceeds will benefit the student cultural exchange program.
Bunka-Sai will feature authentic presentations of dance, vocal and instrumental music, flower arranging, bonsai, tea ceremony, calligraphy, martial arts, story reading, and games for kids; free hands-on demos of origami and calligraphy; lectures on bonsai and ikebana by local experts; tasty plate lunches and sweets.
Admission and parking are free. There will be a drawing for a $300 grand prize both days.
If possible, leave your pets at home. Authorized service animals are exempt.
The Torrance Sister City Association will hold its seventh annual Anime Drawing Contest in conjunction with the festival. Divisions: middle school and high school. Prizes for each division: first place, $50; second place, $25; third place, $20. All contestants will receive certificates.
Entries must be drawn on 8½” by 11” paper. Digital art (printed out) is also acceptable. Format: portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal). Entries may be in color or black and white. Only one entry per person. No violent or dark themes, such as death and funerals. Entries must include a release form signed by the artist and parent/guardian (if a minor).
Entries must be submitted in person on Friday, April 14, between 4 and 6 p.m. Winners will be announced on Saturday at 12:15 p.m. Forms and more info at www.torrancesistericity.org.
For inquiries about Bunka-Sai, call (310) 618-2930 or email torrancesistercityinfo@gmail.com.