Cherry Blossom Festival – Over its two-weekend festivities, the Festival also offers the opportunity to look back at the history of Japanese and Japanese Americans in Northern California and enjoy the culture and customs that have survived thanks to the hardships of multiple generations. The highlight of the Cherry Blossom Festival is the Grand Parade which stretches over a mile from Civic Center Plaza to Japantown, showcasing many of the cultural and community organizations that contribute to the Festival’s continued success. April 8-16, 2023

Since 1968, the Festival has cultivated the continued alliance between Japan and the United States using culture as its bridge. Each year, over 220,000 people attend this dazzling display showcasing the vibrant colors and grace of the Japanese culture and the rich heritage and diversity of the Japanese American community.

Following World War II, the Japanese and Japanese American communities resettled in San Francisco’s Japantown, one of the three officially designated Japantowns in the United States. The first Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival (formerly San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival) was celebrated over three days, March 29-31, 1968, right after the opening of the Japan Trade Center (now Japan Center Malls) on March 28, 1968. A group of dedicated Japanese and Japanese American business and community leaders started the Festival to preserve traditions, revitalize the local economy, and strengthen the bonds of friendship between the United States and Japan. Walk down memory lane with us by visiting our 10 Must-See Photos blog and purchasing A Golden Journey – Images of 50 Years of Japanese Culture photobook.

SF Cherry Blossom Festival 2023

Calendar – Bernal Heights and Beyond