JUMP booth at the Sakura Matsuri 2017

On April 8, Sasakawa USA’s JUMP (Japan-US Military Program) team once again took part in the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival with kingyo sukui, a traditional festival game. The festival is the largest one-day celebration of Japanese culture in the U.S. Held the same day as the National Cherry Blossom Festival‘s annual parade, this rain-or-shine event brings vibrant performances to four stages and welcomes more than 80 cultural groups, arts vendors, and food booths to the celebration.

JUMP aims to connect past and present service members, families, and government civilians who have served in Japan. Through social networks and events, JUMP builds relationships and provides opportunities for service members to engage with each other. JUMP provides a powerful foundation for sustaining the solid alliance and relationship that exists between the U.S. and Japan.

Click here for a recap from the 2016 event.