May'n, Pikachu & Cherry Blossoms are coming to Gardens by the bay!

It’s officially Spring! Wave goodbye to the cold winter chills and say hello the season of growth!

Okay, I’m exaggerating. What would a Singaporean girl like me know about seasons - it’s summer all year round here! But ask any Anime fan what symbolises growth and the beginning of a new school term in the world of Anime and Cherry blossoms would no doubt come up. Endless scenes of our favourite characters walking under falling sakura petals with perfectly windblown hair are so classical they are almost synonymous with Anime!

Photo taken by me at Gion, Kyoto.

If you can’t afford a ticket to Japan to view the ethereal flower, fret not, Gardens by the Bay is bringing them to you! And it ain’t just the flowers! This year, GBTB is bringing the entire Japan to Singapore!

Okay okay, there I go shooting my mouth off again. Maybe not quite the entire Japan but with it’s Matsuri and slews of activities such as Tea Ceremony demonstrations, Kimono parade, Pikachu Mascot parade, Anisong concerts, Celebrity Cosplayer meet & greet and Anime screening, it sure feels like a "Little Japan" is happening at the domes!

Date: Friday, 16 March – Sunday, 8 April
Time: 9 am – 9 pm
Location: Flower Dome
Details: Admission charge to the conservatories applies.


As there is a plethora of activities happening at the garden, the programme information has been categorised into Anime Garden, Flower Dome Programmes and Sakura Japan Fair.

Cherry Blossoms @ GBTB 2016

ANIME GARDEN

Get ready for an anime-filled weekend as Supertree Grove transforms into an Anime Garden, with colourful themed activities including anisong concerts, celebrity cosplayer appearances, and a Pikachu parade!


Date: Saturday, 17 March – Sunday, 18 March

Time: Various timings (refer to programme below)

Location: Supertree Grove, The Canopy and Flower Dome

Details: Programmes are free. Admission charge to Flower Dome applies. Visit www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/whatson for more information.

Programme*	Date	Time	Location
a.M.A.Z.E. in Wonderland	17 & 18 March	3.30pm – 11pm	Supertree Grove
Pokémon Game Booths	17 & 18 March
Pikachu Mascot Parade & Dance and Meet & Greet	17 March	1pm (Meet & Greet)	The Canopy
		2.30pm (Parade & Dance)
		3.30pm (Meet & Greet)	Supertree Grove
		5pm (Meet & Greet)
		6pm (Parade & Dance)	The Canopy
Anisong Concert	17 March	7pm (Mika Kobayashi) 8pm (May’n)	Supertree Grove
	18 March	7pm (Mashiro Ayano) 8pm (Luna Haruna) 9pm (GARNiDELiA)
Anime Screening: Your Name	17 March	9pm – 11pm
Celebrity Cosplayer Meet and Greet (Autograph)	17 March	5pm – 6.45pm
	18 March	5pm – 5.30pm
Celebrity Cosplayer Meet and Greet (Photo-taking)	17 & 18 March	2pm – 3pm 3pm – 4pm	Flower Dome
Cosplay Parade	18 March	4.30pm – 5pm	The Canopy to Supertree Grove
Cosplay Competition	18 March	5.30pm – 6.30pm	Supertree Grove

 *Information is correct as of 9 March 2018 and may be subject to change

a.M.A.Z.E. in Wonderland
Find your way through a maze made of giant cards and meet other colourful characters in this anime- inspired version of the classic novel “Alice in Wonderland”.

Pokémon Game Booths
Try your hand at the Pokémon Game Booths and stand a chance to win Pokémon-related prizes.

Pikachu Mascot Parade & Dance and Meet & Greet
Don't miss this adorable parade featuring popular Pokémon mascot, Pikachu, dancing amidst the Supertrees!

Anisong Concert

Featuring popular anisong artistes GARNiDELiA, Luna Haruna, Mashiro Ayano, May’n and Mika Kobayashi, these two concerts are not to be missed especially for anime lovers!

Anime Screening: Your Name
Sit back and relax at the lawn in Supertree Grove as you enjoy an anime movie under the stars.

Celebrity Cosplayer Meet & Greet
Get up close with your favourite celebrity cosplayers including Angie (Malaysia), Ely (Taiwan), SAIDA (Korea) and Thames Malerose (Thailand) as they make special appearances in Flower Dome and at Supertree Grove.

Cosplay Competition
Dress up as your favourite anime character and vie for the title of Best Dressed Cosplayer! Register at tinyurl.com/animegardencosplaycompetition.

Cosplay Parade

Don your costumes and join us in this free-for-all fun parade from The Canopy to the Supertree Grove! Register at tinyurl.com/animegardencosplayparade. 

FLOWER DOME PROGRAMMES

Amidst the pretty pink and white blooms of “Sakura Matsuri” floral display, immerse in Japanese culture with a selection of performances and demonstrations brought to you in partnership with Japan Creative Centre (JCC).


Date: Saturday, 17 March – Sunday, 
18 March; Saturday, 
31 March – Sunday, 
1 April; Saturday, 
7 April – Sunday, 8 April
Time: Various timings (refer to programme below)
Location: Flower Dome and The Canopy
Details: Programmes are free. Admission charge to Flower Dome applies. Visit www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/whatson for more information.

Programme*	Presented by	Date	Time	Location
Japanese Tea Ceremony Demonstration		17, 18, 31 March & 1, 7, 8 April	10am – 10.40am 11am – 11.40am 12pm – 12.40pm 1pm – 1.40pm	Flower Dome
	The Japanese Association, Singapore
Japanese Drum Performances		17 March	2.15pm – 2.30pm 3pm – 3.15pm
	HIBIKIYA, Hiro Hayashida and Super Taiko Junior	18 March	5pm – 6.30pm	The Canopy
Kendo Demonstration	Singapore Kendo Club	17 March	10.45am – 11am	Flower Dome
Kimono Parade	Japanese Cultural Society		4pm – 4.20pm
Japanese Dance Performance	The Japanese Association, Singapore	18 March	10.45am – 11am 11.45am – 12pm
Koto Performance			1pm – 1.15pm
Choral Performance			2pm – 2.15pm 3pm – 3.15pm
Flute and Soprano Performance			4pm – 4.15pm

*Information is correct as of 9 March 2018 and may be subject to change.


Japanese Tea Ceremony Demonstration
Known as the Way of Tea (chado or sado), the Japanese tea ceremony (chanoya) is a ritualised preparation of green tea in the presence of guests. Discover the grace and elegance of this tradition in a demonstration conducted by Professor Soho Ueda Tomoko, who founded Hoseikai, Singapore.

Japanese Drum Performances
Be entertained by the energetic beats of Japanese drums in a performance by The Japanese Association’s Taiko Group on 17 March. On 18 March, HIBIKIYA (Singapore) will introduce traditional Taiko and Shamisen music, while guest performers from Japan – Hiro Hayashida and Super Taiko Junior – delight the audience with their contemporary Taiko music.

Kendo Demonstration
Enjoy a showcase of kendo, a Japanese martial art, presented by the Singapore Kendo Club.

Kimono Parade

Admire the intricate patterns and embroidery of Japan’s traditional dress in this kimono parade presented by the Japanese Cultural Society. 

Japanese Dance Performance
Be captivated by the graceful moves of traditional Japanese dance in this presentation by The Japanese Association’s Japanese Folk Dance Club.


Koto Performance 
Enjoy the beautiful sounds of the koto, a Japanese string instrument, in this performance by The Japanese Association’s Koto Group.

Choral Performance 
Be entertained by the melodic voices of The Japanese Association’s Ladies Chorus Group.

Flute and Soprano Performance
Enjoy a flute and soprano performance by The Japanese Association’s Music Society. 

SAKURA JAPAN FAIR

Rounding off the festivities at Sakura Matsuri is a specially curated Japanese fair organised in partnership with JTB Pte Ltd. Held over the last week of the cherry blossom floral display, Sakura Japan Fair features an array of food and retail options, weekend performances, and exciting workshops on selected dates.

Date: Friday, 30 March – Sunday, 8 April
Time: Various timings (refer to programme below)
Location: Flower Dome (Flower Field Hall and Waterview Room)
Details: Admission to the fair is free, except on weekends where admission charge to Flower Dome applies. Visit gardensbythebay.com.sg/whatson for more information.


Programme*

	30 March	31 March	1 April	2 – 6 April	7 April	8 April
Food and Beverage Booths	10am – 8pm
Japanese Prefecture Booths
Photo Booth
Yukata Rental	10am – 8pm (Last rental: 7pm, yukata to be returned by 8pm)
Bento Workshop	2pm – 3.30pm
Sake Appreciation Workshop	6.30pm – 8pm
Baking Workshop		10am – 12pm
Kokedama Workshop		5pm – 6pm
Suzume Odori Dance		2pm – 2.30pm 6pm – 6.30pm	2pm – 2.30pm 4pm – 4.30pm
EYS Performance		3pm – 3.30pm 5pm – 5.30pm	3pm – 3.30pm
Yamaha Electone Performance		7pm – 7.30pm
Okinawa Combined Performance					11.30am – 12.30pm
Japanese Shinobue Flute and Dance Performance					2pm – 2.30pm
Niigata Combined Performance					4pm – 4.45pm	3.45pm – 4.30pm

* Information is correct as of 9 March 2018 and may be subject to change.

Food and Beverage Booths
Savour a variety of delicious treats including ramen, yakisoba, takoyaki, and more! Charges apply.

Japanese Prefecture Booths
Discover the unique charm and culture of different prefectures in Japan, and what each destination has to offer.

Updated 9 March 2018

Photo Booth
Bring home a photo souvenir of Sakura Japan Fair! Free prints in limited quantities will be offered at selected timings throughout the day on a first come, first served basis. Limited to one snap per visitor/group.

Yukata Rental
Make your visit to Sakura Matsuri even more memorable by renting a yukata and strolling amidst the sakura trees! Visitors renting a yukata will be given priority to take one free picture at the photo booth. Yukatas are available in adult sizes only. Rental charge applies.

Bento Workshop*
Learn the art of creating kawaii lunch boxes that are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate! In

this workshop, you can create a bento featuring an adorable bear enjoying a picnic under sakura trees.

Sake Appreciation Workshop*
Learn the basics of Japanese saké, the different categories and how they are paired with food. Participants can sample four types of sake paired with a selection of tapas during the workshop.

Baking Workshop*
Let Boulangerie Asanoya Singapore’s Head Baker, Goto Tatsuya, take you through this workshop to bake two items – Pão de queijo and Sakura Cookies - using his very own recipe.

Kokedama Workshop*
Add a touch of green to your home with kokedama, a form of bonsai where the roots of the plant are wrapped in moss and transformed into a work of art.

Suzume Odori Dance
Soak up the joyous atmosphere as dancers perform the Sparrow Dance with fans.

Performance by EYS
EYS, an up-and-coming band from Japan, will be in Singapore to serenade the crowd for one weekend only.

Yamaha Electone Performance
Delight in the contemporary sounds of the Electone, an electronic organ produced by Yamaha.

Okinawa Combined Performance
Enjoy an Okinawan cultural performance combining the traditional Eisa dance and the unique tones of Okinawa’s three-stringed instrument, sanshin.

Japanese Shinobue Flute and Dance Performance
Be entranced by the melodic sounds of the Shinobue and the enchanting traditional Japanese dance.

Niigata Combined Performance
Enjoy the best of Niigata Prefecture's modern and traditional entertainment through a combined performance by Albirex Niigata Singapore Cheer Dance School's young and energetic cheerleaders, lively Souodori dancers, and the beautiful sounds of the Taishogoto Japanese harp.
*Registration for workshops is required and charges apply. Please visit https://sakurajapan.peatix.com/for details.

Updated 9 March 2018

EVENTS

BIANNUAL ORCHID DISPLAY IN CLOUD FOREST Orchid lovers rejoice! Gardens by the Bay is recreating its award-winning orchid display, “In a cavern, in a canyon”, which garnered Gold and Best of Show at the 22nd World Orchid Conference (WOC 22) in Ecuador last November. The new display, located within the Gardens’ Cloud Forest conservatory, not only showcases orchids that won medals at WOC 22, but also an array of Dendrobium orchids. Dendrobium is one of the largest genera in the orchid family with over 1,000 species occurring from Asia to Tahiti. Dendrobium orchids come in myriad shapes and colours; some with interesting medicinal and culinary uses.

Date: Friday, 9 March to Thursday, 31 May Time: 9am – 9pm Location: Cloud Forest Details: Admission charge to Cloud Forest applies. SSO @ GARDENS BY THE BAY Bring your picnic mats to The Meadow at Gardens by the Bay for an open-air concert by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO). Headed by Associate Conductor Joshua Tan, the SSO will perform a repertoire of classical music pieces composed by Beethoven, Puccini, Mozart and Bernstein. Date: Saturday, 10 March Time: 6.30pm – 7.30pm Location: The Meadow DINING “SAKURA MATSURI” MENU AT INDOCHINE In conjunction with Sakura Matsuri at Gardens by the Bay, IndoChine is offering a range of contemporary dishes topped with Sakura Nama Ebi, or wild pink Japanese cherry shrimps. Enjoy hand- pound green papaya salad, crabmeat and pineapple fried rice, and rice paper roll with rice vermicelli, and complete your meal with a cocktail umeshu.

Date: Friday, 16 March – Sunday, 8 AprilLocation: IndoChine Gardens by the BayDetails: For information and reservations, call IndoChine Gardens by the Bay at 6694 8489.


BAKERZIN LUNCH SPECIAL
Unleash the glutton in you with these amazing triple treats at Bakerzin. Choose from Thyme Mustard Chicken with Mustard Sauce, Pork Belly Wrapped Crayfish Pasta, or Salmon Confit with Japanese Mayo. Prices start from $16++. 

Date: Till Saturday, 31 MarchLocation: Bakerzin Gardens by the BayDetails: For more information, call Bakerzin Gardens by the Bay at 6604 7370.





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