Despite clouds and rain, thousands show for the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival

Jason Gonzales
The Tennessean

Standing near the back of a crowd gathered to watch street performer Masaji Terasawa, Dave Defazio thought he wouldn't get roped into the show.

But Terasawa, a Japanese candyman whose performance includes antics and artistry, picked out Defazio from the crowd of visitors to the annual Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival and placed a newspaper hat on top of the unsuspecting onlooker's head.

"I was in the back row and thought I was safe," said Defazio, 50, from Thompson Station.

Like Defazio, thousands showed to the festival held outside Nashville's One Public Square despite an overcast day that brought an occasional drizzle of rain to celebrate Japanese culture.

Masaji Terasawa performs for a crowd of onlookers during the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday at One Public Square.

The occasion included stage performances, Terasawa's roving act, art, food and a cosplay event with visitors dressed as Anime characters — including the winner of the cosplay contest receiving an airline ticket to Japan.

Jaye Wise, 16, said she enjoys the beauty of the festival, but also appreciates the ability to dress up in cosplay as part of it. Her costume — Nozomi Tojo's Cyber Costume, from the Anime Long Live! — had her decked out in purple hair, mouse ears and headphones.

Jaye Wise, 16, poses in her Nozomi Tojo costume on Saturday during the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival at One Public Square. The annual festival celebrates Japanese culture.

"Being able to see all the people, the performances and the celebration of Japanese culture is really awesome," Wise said. "I love being able to embrace this culture that I think is really cool."

The festival also included a Cherry Blossom walk. The city has planted over 1,000 trees in the last 10 years that produce cherry blossoms, said Mayor David Briley.

Consul-General of Japan Hiroyuki Kobayashi said the trees are a show of the special relationship Nashville has with Japan. While most of the flowers had fallen from the trees, he said those gathered could enjoy the beautiful green shine of the tree's leaves.

"It is a lasting symbol of the relationship between the two nations," Kobayashi said.

And festivals such as one on Saturday are a way to see a world outside of your backyard, said Stanley Trice, 28. Trice was at the festival with his wife and two kids.

"This is great. We get to come out and stretch our legs and appreciate another culture," Trice said. "One day I hope to take my family on trips around the world and we can get to see more than just this small piece."

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Reach Jason Gonzales at jagonzales@tennessean.com and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales.