Plaza West Covina, in partnership with the City of West Covina and the East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center (ESGVJCC) held the annual Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday, April 22 to welcome in spring and celebrate traditional Japanese culture.

The festival included cultural performances like Japanese drumming and martial arts along with numerous food and craft vendors and a Japanese beer garden. There were also special character appearances like Pikachu and Eevee (from the video game series Pokemon). 

The event lasted from 12 pm to 6 pm and was filled with music and entertainment for attendees throughout the day. 

Gallery • 9 Photos

Sophia Gonzalez

2023 ESGVJCC Queen Sara Kubo welcomes attendees of the festival and introduces Kishin Daiko’s performance of traditional Japanese drumming.