The Japanese Food & Culture Bazaar was larger than life.   There was so much to eat, pray, and love about the event hosted by the Sacramento Buddhist Church of Sacramento.  If you were not there, here are some of the highlights.  Highly recommended is to try a first, second, or third helping of the melt off the bone teriyake chicken and to come earlier in the day next year.    This way you have time to relax and watch the Sacramento Taiko Dan.  Still, if you missed them at the festival, stay tuned for their upcoming 22nd year anniversary performance at The Crest Theatre on Saturday, September 24, 2011.

More than 750 church members volunteer to bring the 63rd annual Buddhist cultural bazaar to Sacramento. It started today and continues tomorrow. Folk dance and music is performed in the Main Chapel. Estimated attendance for the two-day event is 40,000 to 50,000 people.   The statistics for the event are staggering. 10,000 + pounds of chicken seasoned and barbecued for chicken teriyaki are prepared and served. Follow the smoke trail!   One and a half tons of rice are cleaned cooked and consumed in traditional Japanese cuisine. 400 pounds of shrimp are cleaned and cooked for tempura and sushi delicacies. 1,500 pounds of beef are prepared for teriyaki meat sticks and sandw