San Francisco's Cherry Blossom Festival Paints the Japantown Streets Pink
San Francisco's Cherry Blossom Festival Paints the Japantown Streets Pink
One of the largest cherry blossom festivals in the country takes over Japantown for two weekends this month. The San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival runs April 11–12 and 18–19, with a grand parade on the final Sunday that draws thousands down Post Street past the Peace Pagoda. The festival celebrates Japanese-American heritage with taiko drumming, martial arts exhibitions, Japanese street food, live music, and the ceremonial appearance of the Cherry Blossom Queen.
Japantown sits between Geary and Bush Streets in Western Addition, and during festival weekends the area transforms into an open-air celebration. The parade on the final Sunday features elaborate costumes, classic cars, and the thunderous sound of taiko ensembles moving through the crowd — it's one of the most photogenic and welcoming parades in the city's calendar.
If you're going: arrive early Sunday for parade spots along Post Street near the Peace Plaza. The festival runs free of charge but the food booths take cash. Muni's 38 Geary drops you at the edge of Japantown.
