Sakura Matsuri! Uki Uki Nights! Yatta!

Ah, spring. When an anime fan's heart turns to cherry blossoms. Like fluttering pink birds, blooming cherry blossoms are an iconic image of Japan, and this weekend the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Prospect Park celebrates spring with their Sakura Matsuri.

This Saturday and Sunday, the festival includes taiko drums, origami workshops, bonsai demonstrations and other aspects of traditional Japanese culture along with cosplay, concerts, and NYAF staple Uncle Yo representing the pop side of Japan.

This year's Sakura Matsuri also features HAPPYFUNSMILE -- my favorite band in the universe.

When I'm not stalking HAPPYFUNSMILE, I'll be at the New York Anime Festival booth with Ms. Kristin Heise and a few members of the Apple Kissa Maid Cafe. We'll be hosting a haiku contest all weekend long as well as various stupid, silly Twitter games. Be sure to follow @ny_anime_fest for all the details.

And then, once Sakura Matsuri is over, don't pack your costume away as NYC's Japan Society will be hosting a cosplay party and open house -- Uki Uki Nights -- next Friday night. I'll be there, the Apple Kissa team will be playing games, and there'll be cheap Japanese booze flowing throughout the evening.

Yatta!