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San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival: 2025 Event Details
By: Jill Loeffler • Updated: April 4, 2025
The Japantown neighborhood comes to life in the spring when the cherry blossoms start to bloom. This is also when more than 200,000 people flock to this little district for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival.
The San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival started in 1967. Since then, it's grown to be one of the largest cherry blossom festivals in the US.
The 2025 festival will be held on two weekends, April 12 - 13 and April 19 - 20.
This celebration includes traditional music, dance, and other cultural activities.
During the festival, you can sample a variety of Japanese and Japanese-American culinary treats. These include popular dishes such as fresh sushi, tempura, and chicken or beef teriyaki.
There is also a wonderful parade on the afternoon of Sunday, April 20. It starts at 1 pm at the Civic Center Plaza and ends at Japantown near Post and Fillmore Streets.
Most of the San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival events are held on Post Street between Laguna and Fillmore Streets. This year, the Peace Plaza is close for updates, so none of the festival will be held in the plaza.
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Events at the 2025 Festival
This year, you will find a variety of events at the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown. Here are just a few of the types of events you can enjoy.
Live Music & Taiko Drum Performances
On their Peace Plaza main stage, you will find a variety of performances throughout both weekends of this festival. They haven't released this year's entertainment line up as of today, but you can check out last year's schedule here to give you an idea on what to expect.
The Taiko Drum performances are one of my favorite things to see each year at the Cherry Blossom Festival.
The taiko drum was originally used as a way to ward off evil spirits and pests from harming the crops. Over the years, it was used less frequently in the Japanese culture and this art faded away.
However, in recent years, taiko drum enthusiasts began a revival effort and now it's performed in Japanese cultures throughout the world.
This year, they perform on Saturday, April 12 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm on the Webster Street Stage.
Here are a few pictures of them in action from previous festivals.
Japanese Music and Dance
Another highlight of the festival is the traditional Japanese music and dance. You will get the chance to listen to the music from a koto, or Japanese harp. This is one of the most popular Japanese musical instruments.
You also get the chance to see minyo, a traditional Japanese folk dance and song that has been handed down from generation to generation and has evolved over the years.
They usually have several performances both weekends.
Chanoyu - The Tea Ceremony
Another traditional Japanese art is the Tea Ceremony. Throughout the San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival, you'll get the chance to watch and learn more about this well-known Japanese ceremony.
This year's event is on April 12 from 11 am to 3 pm at Hokka Nichi Bei Kai.
Children's Cherry Blossom Village
This year's Children's Cherry Blossom Village offers a great area for fun games and hands on entertainment for the kids.
The village is open from 11 am to 4 pm on April 12, 13 & 19. It will not be open on April 20, as this coincides with their large grand parade.
You will find games, crafts, a jumpy house, and other kids activities.
Arts & Crafts Shopping Area
The Arts and Crafts area is an outdoor marketplace with Japanese and Asian inspired arts and crafts from a select list of local and national artists.
Some of the vendors from past year's include:
- Old River Design Co.
- Sakuradragon
- Future Bloom
- The Real Insect Company
- Holidaypop
- Jade Chocolates
- Rose Gold Jelly
- Kotas Kreations
- and many more!
Schedule of Events on the Main Stage
This year's main stage is along Webster Street at the Peace Plaza is closed for renovations through 2026.
This is where many of the largest performances are held and they are very popular.
Saturday, April 12, 2025
- SF Taiko Dojo from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
- Opening Ceremonies and Student Scholarship Winners from 12:30 to 1:30 pm
- Slam Effect from 2 pm to 2:45 pm
- Mirage from 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm
Sunday, April 13, 2025
- Drum Revolution from 11 am to 11:30 am
- Members Even After NiCE 3 pm to 3:30 pm
- Genryu Arts from 3:30 pm to 4 pm
- Big City from 4:30 pm to 5:15 pm
Here is this year's schedule for the Webster Street Stage for the second weekend:
Saturday, April 19, 2025
- Jiten Daiko, 11 am to 11:30 am
- Mail Choir Chorale May & Mixed Choir Ensemble Shiki, 11:30 am to 12 pm
- SHOWJI, 12 pm to 12:30 pm
- Wesley Ukulele Band, 12:30 pm to 1 pm
- Expo, 1:45 pm to 2:30 pm
- GTC, 3:15 pm to 4 pm
- FSE, 4:45 pm to 5:30 pm
Sunday, April 20, 2025
- Kaze Ensemble, 3:30 to 4 pm
- Sixth Station Trio, 4 pm to 4:30 pm
- Raffle, 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm
You will find dozens of other performances at this year's event. Visit the official Cherry Blossom site for a full schedule of events and to check for any last minute changes.
San Francisco Hotels
Are you still looking for a hotel for your stay? Here are several recommendations based on budget, amenities, and neighborhood.
Booking: Find great deals all around San Francisco for your upcoming stay!
TripAdvisor: What's the #1 hotel in San Francisco? Read reviews & find hotel deals on TripAdvisor!
VRBO: Besides hotels, you'll also find some great places to stay locally through VRBO. Book an apartment or a room and feel more like a local. Find some great places to stay on VRBO here.
Tips for Visiting Japantown
Are you looking for other things to do in Japantown? Do you need a hotel near the festival?
On this page, you'll find out about other top activities, top hotels, and some of my favorite restaurants in this SF neighborhood. You will also find the best public transportation options to get to the festival.
Learn More: Japantown
More Fun Events in April
SF Giants: The San Francisco Giants kick of their season in early April. Get ready to watch exciting games at Oracle Park in SF's SoMa District! Click here for additional details.
SF Theater: Every month in SF, you will find a variety of theater productions. They range from well known shows such as the The Lion King and Hamilton, to smaller performances in intimate settings. Click here for ticketing details and the full theater calendar for this April.
Free SF Events: Did you know that SF has dozens of free events every week? You will find events large and small all year long. To make it easier to find the most popular, I created a list of the 101 best free events in SF. Click here to learn more!
Hi, I'm Jill!
Dreaming of a San Francisco vacation? As a proud local, I'm here to share my insider tips and personal experiences to help you make the most of this iconic city!
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