Cherry Blossom Festival brings the storm indoors

In spite of the iron grey clouds overhead, the cherry blossom trees outside were in full bloom

Erica Lee

With a roll of thundering drumbeats and a lightning-sharp crack of sticks striking together, members of Asano Taiko U.S. raised a storm indoors.

At 10 past noon, the three performers took their places at their instruments.

They raised their thick wooden drumsticks high in the air.

And with a loud cry, brought them down.

What followed was ten minutes of a rolling crescendo punctuated by the light smattering of tapping drumsticks against the wooden rims like raindrops. The heavy beats pulsed through the room deeper than a racing heartbeat.

As the heavier rhythms of the larger drums reverberated through the Social Justice Center, a light shower of dust

Delgado said.

“It’s actually going to align with the festival,” Delgado said. “That’s always tricky to line up when we do the event with the actual blooming, so some years, [the cherry blossoms] miss it.”

The Social Justice Center’s main hall, an expansive and sparse space, took on an intimate feel from noon to 1 p.m. where dozens of people sat shoulder to shoulder on chairs and couches pushed together to create a performance space.

The only available opening was reserved for four imposing wooden taiko drums neatly arranged together.

After a brief welcome address from President Brenda Thames, Asano Taiko introduced themselves and the group, located on Western Boulevard in Torrance.

Performers Fred Visaya, Julia Asano and Masa Miyano introduced their instruments.

The smallest drum is called the “Shime-daiko.” When Asano taps against the metal spikes that bind it together, it mimics the sound of rainfall.

Complimenting it, bound in thick, silky ropes, is the “okedaiko.” The two larger drums that roared like thunder are the “chudaiko.”

“Ever since I was younger, I’ve pretty much adored Japanese culture… and of course, I really enjoy cherry blossoms,” Acosta said. “In Japan, cherry blossoms are very, very important because it symbolizes romance.” began to rain down.

Originally planned to be an outdoor celebration of springtime, the Social Justice Center made the call to move the 23rd Annual Cherry Blossom Festival indoors due to rain.

The March 15 event comes the day after a heavy rainstorm rolled through Southern California, part of a greater chain of historic winter storms.

In spite of the iron grey clouds overhead, the cherry blossom trees outside the Social Justice Center were in full bloom—their shock of bright pink blossoms added a pop of color to the otherwise dreary conditions as they welcomed the guests filing inside.

The trees themselves are part of the decades-long Cherry Blossom Festival legacy and were donated by the American Honda Motor Company, Program Coordinator Monica

Lastly, the largest of the quintet hoisted on a polished wooden scaffold was the “odaikyo,” a name that translates to “big drum.”

What followed next was a performance by the group called “Rain.”

With Miyano on the shimedaiko and the okedaiko, Asano and Visaya took their places on opposite sides of the massive, double-sided drum and produced a flurry of frenetic beats mimicking a heavy rainfall punctuated by a barrage of rumbling beats like an oncoming storm.

Digging his wooden spoon into a small tub of Kansha Creamery ice cream, kinesiology major Noah Holker, 20, explained how he ended up at the festival.

“After [my friend] Sam showed me the Instagram post and I looked at it a little more, it’s actually quite interesting,” Holker said.

Theater major Alexis Acosta, 20, shared Holker’s excitement.

If Asano Taiko’s demonstration was about the might of nature, the haikus looked back on calm sunny days and the reverie of being outdoors.

One of the performers, creative writing student Arlene Maradiaga, had written multiple haikus for the occasion. “I wanted to stick to haiku form celebrating the seasons,” Maradiaga said. “I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and celebrate nature.”

Monday, March 20, between 8:45 and 8:50 p.m.

A driver injury occurred during a three-car collision on the cross streets of Crenshaw and Rendondo Beach Boulevard, near parking Lot K. The case was turned over to California Highway Patrol.

Saturday, March 18, at an unknown time.

A door was vandalized in the Communications Building. The case has been resolved and is now closed.

Thursday, March 16, at 1:46 a.m.

A petty theft involving a stolen bicycle occurred near the Student Services Building. The case is now closed.

Tuesday, March 14, between noon and 6 p.m.

A petty theft involving a stolen license plate occurred near parking Lot C. The case is still undergoing investigation.

Sunday, March 12, at 10 a.m.

A stalking incident occurred near the El Camino College Police Department. The incident was reported to the Clery Act.