Sacramento Buddhist Bazaar

This fabulous event occurred this past weekend at the Sacramento Buddhist Church. The Bazaar has grown through the years and this year it did not disappoint! Parking was a pain though. There was a parking lot on 7^th and W streets where the shuttle could have brought you in or back to your car. We did manage to find parking close by.
Talk about the kinds of food they had! Sushi, udon & pastry goodies were sold inside the church’s gym area. If you wanted sushi, you had to get there early or it was sold out. They sold teriyaki beef sandwiches, teriyaki beef skewers, korokke (fried potato), sesame chicken, curry, somen (cold noodles), chow mein, onigiri (plain rice balls), cucumber salad, tempora (veggie & shrimp), teriyaki chicken, nigiri (raw fish sushi), hot dogs, chili, snow cones, boba, iced coffee, tea, sodas, water and beer. Also we had the chance to purchase fresh fruit bowl plus I did see some people eating ice cream sandwiches. Instead I bought four chocolate chip cookies for a buck!!! There was seating inside the gym as well as outside under the covering with peekings of sun at times.
There were several games for the kids by the snow cone area like fishing. Also inside the church they have a game area for the older kids or adults to play as well. There is a small area in the courtyard where they sell some crafts & ginza gifts. At the information booth, they sold their raffle tickets as well as souvenir T-​shirts. I did purchase one for fifteen dollars. It signified the year of the sheep which happens to be the year I was born in.
We came mainly for the entertainment. They started off with the Koyasan Taiko drummers, some folk dancing by Sakura Minyo Doo Koo Kai & later the Eastwind band. This band originated from Sacramento. They played old school funk, soul, R & B and some classic rock. We got our exercise by getting up to dance to the live band who played for three hours. What a treat!!! Not knowing that the news media were there; I was told by a Unilocaler that we were on the news that night. I thought he was pulling my leg until a pic was posted by his wife. Darn I was trying to be inconspicuous!!! Well, it goes to show that on my profile page I’m true to what I say! That you can find me in front of a live band dancing!!! Classic!!! And fasho I will be there next year!!!

The bazaar has something for absolutely everyone… unless you have difficulty handling hot temperatures as it can get hot in the tent. If you don’t do well with heat, you should show up early which also helps with the lines that tend to be shorter right when they open. Food ranges from shave ice, beef skewers, and cakes and pastries. Kids can enjoy a couple of game booths and the adults can browse other booths packed full of home goods. If you have a green thumb, you can check out a booth featuring plants and flowers but you will definitely have fun lugging them back to your car.
Every year, the crowds seem to get larger and larger which means longer and longer lines in the summer heat so be prepared to wait but it is definitely worth it. It is also a cash only event so get your cash before you head over or you will end up longingly staring at a stranger’s lunch. Parking is a rare commodity but the Church offers a shuttle service if you park in the lot under the freeway where the Sunday Farmer’s Market is located. It is definitely a lot less stressful using the shuttle service and you don’t have to make the long trek from the car you parked half a mile away to the Bazaar or stalk people leaving back to their cars.
If this is your first outing, enjoy yourself and take your time to take in everything and sample all of the food that the Sacramento Buddhist Church has to offer. After you have finished your food at the event, make sure that you get some to take home. You will regret it if you don’t. Trust me. I bring a huge reusable grocery bag every year and I still find myself wanting more. Mmmmmm… sushi.
Over the years, I have become some what of an expert in how to maneuver the bazaar in the least amount of time so you can gorge yourself in the privacy of your own home where no one but the cat can judge your gluttony. The most important tip for those who want to go in and out is to bring friends. Lacking friends? Make them. They are incredibly useful for this one day. Call a meeting and huddle around a intricately detailed blueprint of the bazaar and using TUMS chewables, assign each friend a pill and a food line. Divide up the cash and make sure everyone knows how much they are buying so you aren’t waiting in multiple lines. Whatever you do, don’t trust Frank. Frank blew all the money at the shave ice booth. The planning phase is now over, you are now ready to venture out into that beautiful tented food palace. Good luck, dear grasshopper.

The Japanese Food & Cultural Bazaar is a well organized and family oriented annual event. A multitude of booths are provided with a wide selection of Japanese foods from Teriyaki, Udon soup and noodle dishes to sushi. All of the food is freshly made and very affordable! Then, there are the delicious desserts and flavored shaved ice! If you are hungry enough, you will find yourself eating all day here!
When we first walked through the entrance, the place was almost filled to capacity, but there seemed to be plenty of things to do for all ages. The outdoor portion of the festival was covered with a huge tent-​like canopy that offered a little shelter from the hot sun. At least there was a nice variety of cold drinks available. A large stage was placed to one side and was somewhat viewable by most of the tables set up around it.
There were also several booths that offered fun games for the kids, booths selling souvenirs, handmade crafts and even clothing. Japanese flower arrangements, handmade dolls, and calligraphy were on display for us to enjoy the artistic beauty that the Japanese are well known for. We were allowed to enter the building where there were more tables and chairs set up for people to relax and eat/​drink. It was easier to find a place to sit here, but the noise of continuous chatter of people all talking at once was not so relaxing and very hard to hear yourself think.
Lots of great entertainment was provided on the outdoor stage or in the Buddhist main chapel every 1 – 2 hours. Groups like Sakura Minyo Doo Koo Kai performed some Japanese folk dancing, the drum ensembles of Koyasan Taiko and Sacramento Taiko Dan, Hawaiian style entertainment by Na Alkane Ukulele Group, Koto concerts, and Japanese classical dancers all in traditional costume. One of my favorite bands also performed later that afternoon — Sacramento’s own East Wind! I used to be one of their devoted groupies right when I got out of high school! Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see them this time because we had to leave before they performed. :(
I used to go to these events often with my friends when I was younger, then kind of lost touch when I had to become a responsible adult. Going to the Bazaar again after all these years made me realize how much fun I had been missing! I think this will be a yearly event for me again!

I woke up this morning thinking; «Joe; what you need is a little more culture in your life», so off we went to the Japanese Food and Cultural Bazaar to get a little more culture in our lives. (Not really but it sounds like a good story.)
Anyway, my daughter immediately came running up to Ida and I the moment we entered into this wonderful Buddhist cultural event. I did not realize that she didn’t know we were coming. It felt good to surprise her. Next thing we knew, we were also joined by my ex-​wife who has been coming to this event every year since the mid sixties.
The place was a zoo. Extremely long queues of humanity patiently awaited their turn to purchase tempura, sushi, teriyaki, baked goods and other traditional Japanese delicacies from booths that surrounded a large outside eating area comprised of folding tables strung together in long lines leading to an outdoor stage. A giant canopy floated overhead providing much appreciated shade to the masses. It seemed like every chair was already occupied by people eating and enjoying each other’s company. I felt immediately overwhelmed by the crowds.
Fortunately my ex, being the pro of these bazaars, lead us to a large air conditioned hall where, to my amazement, we were able to avoid the crowds and buy various kinds of sushi, baked goods, udon noodles, and pineapple on a stick. We were comfortably seated and chowing down on all our wonderful goodies within minutes.
A while later, after we had sampled most of the items in the large hall, it too began to get crowded and extremely noisy so we returned to the outside pavilion where we were lucky enough to find some seats to relax while sipping on iced coffee and Thai tea and watching a local dance troop called Sakura Minyo Do Ko Kai perform Japanese cultural dances on the outdoor stage. It was a little warm but an occasional breeze was just enough to keep us comfortable.
At that point we were all cultured out and returned home to write reviews and take naps.