56th Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival (2023-04-16, San Francisco)

Parked near Larkin & Sutter. Crostini & Java for breakfast: French Lavender Latte, 16-ounce black House coffee, and avocado toast (whole wheat, avocado, honey vinaigrette). Wind was a bit brisk and cool enough I decided to bring my wool gloves, but it warmed up enough to not need them. Mostly clear blue skies--a beautiful day.

Watched the Grand Parade of the 56th annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco from in front of The Carlisle at 1450 Post Street. 

Young students from the Rosa Parks Elementary School Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program (JBBP) played and waited with chaperones. Later, they joined the parade when the older students passed.

The Daihatsu HiJet Fire Engine (also known as Kiri the Japanese Fire Truck, aka teenytinyfiretruck) played music and drove past us. We heard the "San Francisco Godzilla Alert" The alert: "This is San Francisco self-defense fire brigade. There have been confirmed Godzilla sightings in the city. For your safey and the safety of others, please leave Godzilla alone. Thank you 🦖" (note: it is preceded by electronic tones and the same message in Japanese).

Other notable parade participants:

• Scouts carrying large and small Daruma doll floats (looked like papier-mâché)--they spun and tilted them successfully
• Shiba Inu Fanciers of Northern California (SFNC)
• Cosplay
• Musicians (varied)
• Swordsmanship demonstrations

After what looked like the final float, we walked to Webster Street for event food. A few vendors had sold out, so we failed to get another bag of Sakura popcorn from the Rosa Parks Elementary School vendor stall. It was very crowded. While waiting by the beer tent, San Francisco Taru Mikoshi Ren carried their Mikoshi, or portable Shinto shrine, past us. 🌟 

The parade ended, event staff hastily re-opened the streets and attendees thronged the vendors. Unlike the previous weekend, it was very competitive to find food options. We managed to get a complimentary Pocari Sweat. 

Escaped the crush of people onto Sutter Avenue and re-entered the festival on Buchanan Street. Unlike previous years, no vendor stalls in place (same as last weekend). 

Finding food options on Buchanan Street and the Japan Center mall no less crowded, we decided to make an early exit and head home.