A Japanese viewing party for the full ‘Blood Moon’ in Oakland

Oakland has many sister cities: Livorno, Italy; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. But none of the sisterhoods is as old as Fukuoka, Japan, which became Oakland’s BFF in 1962 and celebrates the bond to this day.

On Oct. 5, the cities will fete their very special relationship in a very special way – wistfully gazing at the same moon. It’s a Supermoon, to be precise, or a full moon that appears swollen due to its seasonal closeness to earth. As it happens, this month’s Supermoon has the charming nickname of “Blood Moon,” because it historically appeared at the start of hunting season.

The Oakland-Fukuoka Sister City Association is teaming up with the Eastbay Astronomical Society to throw an “Otsukimi/Moon Viewing Festival” on the shore of Lake Merritt. From 5:30-6:30 p.m., visitors can browse a bonsai garden’s open house. Then there’s a Japanese dance performance and a dinner of bento boxes (available only by preorder). The moon viewing with telescopes starts at 7:30 p.m. — be there or be, er, circular.

Details: Festival takes place 5:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Lakeside Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Ave., Oakland; free, oakland-fukuoka.org, preorder dinner at zeffy.com/ticketing/2025-otsukimi-bento-orders