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The San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival began in 1967 as a community reaction to the city’s urban redevelopment in the 1960’s. What started out as a means to keep the Japanese-American community connected to its motherland has grown into one of Northern California’s most colorful and renowned celebrations of Asian culture.

Carefully timed with the blossoming of the cherry trees, the festival spans two weekends in April. Local merchants as well as large corporations sponsor the street fair which showcases performance stages, demonstrations, and the always favored food market where you can find a delicious array of Japanese cuisine.

The Cherry Blossom Festival culminates in a parade starting from San Francisco’s Civic Center and ending in Japantown down Post Street.

The parade itself features marching bands, classical and folk dance troupes wearing bright Kimonos, local and state politicians, Taiko drummers on floats, the 2005 Cherry Blossom Queen, portable shrines, Darumas carried by Scout troops, Anime CosPlayers, Samurai armor, and other community groups.

If you plan to be in or around San Francisco in mid to late April, then you should definitely plan to catch this annual celebration of Japanese culture and the Japanese-American community.

In This Feature, there are 26 Photographs. To Begin, click one of the numbers below.

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