Cherry blossom festival

Cherry blossom festival at SFO

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SFO Celebrates Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Blossom season is underway in many cities and regions.

And that includes San Francisco and Northern California, where the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival is underway.

The festival is one of the largest cherry blossom festivals outside of Japan, with performances, music, art, exhibits, and a Grand Parade.

Activities extend to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) as well.

SFO’s Cherry Blossom Festival features live music events through April 22, post-security in Terminal 2 across from Compass Books.

Here’s the rundown:

Thursday, April 10: Aki Oshiro and Shinobue (10 AM – 1:30 PM)

Aki Oshiro is a queer, trans, and non-binary, fourth-generation Japanese Okinawan-American professional taiko artist based in Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area.  

Friday, April 11: Kiyonomoto Ryu (10 AM – 2 PM) 

The USA branch of the Kiyonomoto School of traditional Japanese dancing was founded in 1994.

Thursday, April 17: Kaori Suzuki (10 AM – 2 PM)

Sakura Ren is a non-profit performing art group showcasing Japanese traditional dance called Awa-odori and its music.

Friday, April 18: Ito Yosakoi (12 PM – 3 PM)

Ito Yosakoi is a community yosakoi dance program of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) located in San Francisco Japantown.

Cherry blossom selfie stations at DC-area airports

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Many cities around the country celebrate cherry blossom season, but Washington, D.C. goes all out with a four-week-long National Cherry Blossom Festival, which honors the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Tokyo’s Mayor Yukio Ozaki to Washington, DC.

The seasonal event includes kite festival, a parade, music, art and lots of other activities from March 20 to April 13, 2025, but the highlight is certainly being able to see all the cherry trees in full bloom around the Tidal Basin.

According to the National Park Service, which maintains the trees and has a “bloom watch” on Instagram and other social media sites (#BloomWatch), the predicted peak bloom dates for the city’s cherry trees are March 28 to March, 31.

If you’re flying into the region, you’ll spot Cherry Blossom selfie stations at both Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Washington National Airport (DCA).

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SFO Airport’s Cherry Blossom Festival

The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival is underway in San Francisco’s Japantown and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is celebrating as well.

Through April 18, passengers traveling through SFO can snap selfies at the Cherry Blossom backdrop and enjoy performances on the stage in Terminal 3, by the food court.

The line-up is described here in detail, but includes OH-IN Taiko (drums) on Friday, April 7 from 10 am to 2 pm; a koto concert by Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto on Wednesday, April 12 from 10 am to 2 pm; and the Ito Yosakoi dance team on Friday, April 14 from noon to 3:30 pm.

DC-area airports celebrate Cherry Blossom season

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The Cherry Blossom watch is on in Washington, D.C., with the National Park Service predicting April 1 as the peak viewing time for cherry blossoms in nation’s capital.

D.C.’s National Cherry Blossom Festival continues through April 14, but travelers arriving or departing at the two DC-area airports, Reagan National and Dulles International, get a sneak peek, thanks to a cherry blossom pop-up at Dulles International and Japanese music and calligraphy at Reagan National airports.

At Dulles International (at the intersection of Concourses A and B) travelers will find a whimsical cherry blossom pop-up park with a 15-foot, replica cherry blossom tree, park benches or bistro tables.

The park will remain on site through May, with scheduled events through April 8.

Each Friday through April 12, travelers flying out of Reagan National will be able to hear performances by Japanese Koto musicians. A master calligrapher (to inscribe luggage tags) and a sketch artist will be on site as well.

Both airports have partnered with the official National Cherry Blossom Festival to present the exclusive 2019 National Cherry Blossom canvas tote bag. Any purchase of $100 or more at any two retail or dining locations will receive the tote as a gift with purchase. (Look for signs telling you how to redeem).

Find more details about the Cherry Blossom Festival events, including a discount parking offer, at DCA and IAD airports here.

Washington, DC-area airports celebrate Cherry Blossom Festival

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(Washington Dulles International Airport, photo by J. David Buerk)

The month-long National Cherry Blossom Festival is underway in the Washington, D.C. area and even the airports are getting into the spirit with cherry trees in bloom and buildings lit in pink at night.

Pink lighting is illuminating the iconic main terminal of Washington Dulles International Airport and the parking garage stairwells at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Inside the airports, there are cherry blossom-themed promotions and entertainment scheduled through April 16.

There will be Cherry Blossom stilt walkers strolling through airport halls pre-and post-security from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays (March 24, March 31, April 7 and April 14).

Photo courtesy Sidney Woods

Entertainment on tap includes souvenir photos, paint sessions with a Japanese Sumi-E artist (black ink painting) and performances by Cellist Peter Kibbe at Dulles International on Thursday, April 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and at Reagan National on Friday, April 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Several restaurants will be offering pink-themed menu selections and drinks through April 17 and shoppers who spend more than $100 (pre-tax) on food or retail can turn those receipts in for a free National Cherry Blossom coaster set.

Social media followers of the airport Facebook pages can also win free ticket to official Cherry Blossom Festival events. Details here.