San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Blossom Festival

The Cherry Blossom Festival began in 1912 when Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki gave the gift of 3,000 cherry trees to our nation’s capital. Ever since then, the annual event has spread beyond Washington D.C. and continued to serve as a celebration of the friendship between Japan and the United States. San Francisco’s Cherry Blossom festival is second in size only to the National fest — attracting over 200,000 spectators and participants — and boasts an abundance of activities and ceremonies.

This weekend marks the second round of the event, but push those possible lingering feelings of FOMO aside because the number of offerings will keep you occupied. From the origami demonstration, to the Taiko drummers, to the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck, there’s something for everyone. And that’s right — Hello Kitty Food Truck. Plan your driving situation ahead of time, use public transit, or get comfortable with the idea of a long walk as many streets are closed to accommodate all the people and fun. Lastly, take advantage of this unique event! San Francisco’s Japantown is one of only three remaining Japantowns in the country, making it the prime celebration spot.

If You Go:

When: Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: Japan Center 1610 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94115

Cost: Free

sfcherryblossom.org


Kasia Pawlowska

Kasia Pawlowska loves words. A native of Poland, Kasia moved to the States when she was seven. The San Francisco State University creative writing graduate went on to write for publications like the San Francisco Bay Guardian and KQED Arts among others prior to joining the Marin Magazine staff. Topics Kasia has covered include travel, trends, mushroom hunting, an award-winning series on social media addiction and loads of other random things. When she’s not busy blogging or researching and writing articles, she’s either at home writing postcards and reading or going to shows. Recently, Kasia has been trying to branch out and diversify, ie: use different emojis. Her quest for the perfect chip is never-ending.