Sakura-Con

Sakura-Con
Sakura-Con logo.
Sakura-Con in 2006
Status	Active
Genre	Anime, Manga, Gaming
Venue	Washington State Convention Center
Location(s)	Seattle, Washington
Country	United States
Inaugurated	1998
Attendance	23,000 (est) in 2016
Organized by	Asia-Northwest Cultural Education Association (ANCEA)
Filing status	501(c)(3)
Website
www.sakuracon.org

Sakura-Con is an annual three-day anime convention held during March or April at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, Washington. The convention, which is traditionally held over Easter weekend, is the largest anime convention in the Northwest and is the 9th largest North American anime convention as of 2016. It is organized by the volunteer Asia-Northwest Cultural Education Association (ANCEA).

The convention typically offers anime game shows, anime music video contest, art show, artist alley, dances/raves, collectible card gaming, cosplay chess, cosplay contest, exhibitors hall, fashion show, Japanese cultural arts and presentations (aikido demonstrations, kabuki performances, kendama play, kendo swordsmanship, taiko drumming, tea ceremonies), Japanese pop and rock concerts, karaoke, masquerade ball, panels, table top RPG gaming, video gaming (arcade, console, PC), 24-hour video theaters. The convention runs programming for 24 hours a day.

In 2002 the charity auction benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation and raised $4,560. The 2010 charity auction also benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation raised $27,000. The convention before holding fundraisers at the 2012 event raised $90,000 for tsunami relief. The 2015 charity auction benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation and raised over $40,000. In 2016, a blood drive was held for Bloodworks Northwest.

Sakura-Con's roots are from within the local science fiction convention community. A number of anime fans who had decided that there was not enough anime content represented at conventions such as Norwescon, hatched the plan for an anime convention in a Tacoma, Washington comic book shop. Originally named Baka!-Con, (baka or ばか is Japanese for idiot,) the first convention was held at the Double Tree Inn in Tukwila, Washington in 1998. In 2000, Baka!-Con changed its name to Sakura-Con, (sakura or 桜 (alternately: さくら) is Japanese for cherry blossom).