Suzume Bachi, Randolph-Macon College’s Japanese Festival Music Team, will perform at the 64th Annual Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival, part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, April 11.

For the second consecutive year, the Japanese Festival Music Team will bring to life the famous suzume odori (Japanese for “sparrow dance”) festival in the nation’s capital. The festival is traditionally performed in Sendai City, the capital of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Also located within Miyagi Prefecture is Ishinomaki City, which has long-standing ties to Randolph-Macon.

Under the direction of RMC Asian Studies instructor Kyle Maclauchlan, who studied suzume odori for over 10 years while living in Miyagi, Japan, students use authentic taiko drums, bamboo flutes, and folding fans brought from an instrument maker in Sendai.

“We are so proud to be representing Randolph-Macon and Miyagi Prefecture on the national stage,” Maclauchlan said. “Our students have hands-on experience with this piece of Japanese culture, and now they can share it with guests from across the country.”

With over 24 hours of entertainment, the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival is the largest celebration of Japanese culture in the United States, including traditional Japanese music and dance, J-Pop and contemporary music, martial arts demonstrations, culinary tutorials, and more. The National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the arrival of spring and commemorates the gift of D.C.’s iconic cherry trees from Tokyo mayor Yuki Ozaki in 1912.

The Japanese Festival Music Team, which consists of 17 students whose majors range from Asian Studies and Studio Art to Religious Studies and Business, will perform on the Sakura Stage from 2:45–3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 11.