Enjoy a one-TIME-only experience!

OPENING CEREMONY

CO-PRESENTED WITH THE JAPAN FOUNDATION

The National Cherry Blossom Festival’s signature Opening Ceremony is an artistic celebration of the 1912 gift of trees from Tokyo to Washington, DC, and an annual tribute to the longstanding friendship between Japan and the United States. This unique, one-time-only performance will feature special performances from acclaimed artists with ties to both countries.

In 2024, acclaimed New York-based composer and instrumentalist Kaoru Watanabe shared his signature skill of infusing Japanese culture with disparate styles to create an engrossing performance of music that is melodic, authentic, and engaging.

Choreographer and dancer Jo Kanamori, general artistic director of Noism Company Niigata, delighted the crowd as he directed and choreographed a piece that debuted at the 2024 Opening Ceremony featuring dancers from DC’s own Washington Ballet Company.

And lastly, fresh off his nationwide tour of one hundred different venues in Japan, celebrating his 20th anniversary as a performer, Naotaro Moriyama took the Warner Theatre stage with his unique vocalization that has been praised by all generations of music lovers.

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Watch the 2024 Opening Ceremony livestream! Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great Festival content.

A Look Back at the 2023 Opening Ceremony

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Opening Ceremony Program

Walk-up Ticket Information

On the day of the Opening Ceremony, a limited quantity of walk-up tickets may be granted access if space allows.

Things to note if you would like to be eligible for walk-up admission:

• Walk-ups will not be granted access until approx 5:00 PM. This means you may miss the initial start of the show as the Tickets team calculates how many walk-ups could be accommodated

• You will still be subject to walking through a magnetometer. Small bags will be bag-checked. Backpacks will not be allowed in the building

• When you arrive and begin to queue for the chance to receive a walk-up ticket, please follow the instructions on the signs, and what our staff/volunteers are telling you.

THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 Opening CeremoNY pERFORMERS

Naotaro Moriyama

Naotaro Moriyama
Born on April 23rd, 1976, in Tokyo. Mr. Moriyama is a folk singer and songwriter. He made his professional debut in October 2002 through a mini album titled “Dried Songs are the Best Foods to Feed Fishes”. Since then, the originality of his point of view as well as his unique vocalization have been well praised by all generations of music lovers. He never stopped releasing new albums and actively touring around nationwide. In recent years, he has also expanded his activities including acting, making appearances in NHK Saturday dramas such as “Kokoro no Kizu wo Iyasu to Iu Koto” and NHK’s serial TV novel “Yell”, for which he was highly praised for his acting ability. Mr. Moriyama released his 20th Anniversary album “Wonderful World” in March 2022. Starting in June of the same year, he embarked on his 20th Anniversary Tour titled “Wonderful World”, which was also called “100 Tours in Japan”. He concluded the tour in October 2023, but now an “extra” portion of the tour is underway. His most recent tour, “Wonderful World” in Ryogoku Kokugikan, is scheduled to be held on March 16, 2024. In January 2023, he released his first acoustic album “Original Painting I” and “Original Painting II”. He also released “Samoarinan (There You Are and Here It Comes)” which is the theme song for the movie “Lost Care” released in theaters in March. In October, the “Wonderful World” <Extra Arc> tour will have its final performance at NHK Hall in Tokyo. He was also commissioned for the theme song of animated TV series by Moyoko Anno titled “Ochibisan”; whose broadcasting started in October 2023. It is scheduled to be released on January 31, 2024, along with an analog release of this work on February 28 of the same year.

Jo Kanamori

Jo Kanamori_2015_byKishinShinoyama

Choreographer, Dancer. General Artistic director of Noism Company Niigata. Moved to Europe when he was 17 years old, he studied under Maurice Béjart and others. He began creating while studying at Rudra Béjart School Lausanne and made his debut as choreographer at the age of 20 while enrolled in NDT2. After ten years of playing an active part as dancer and choreographer for several dance companies in Europe, he returned to Japan. In April 2004, he was appointed as artistic director of the Dance Division of RYUTOPIA, and established Noism, Japan’s first residential dance company of a public theater. He has won many awards, including the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award for Artistic Encouragement, and the Niigata Nippo Culture Award both in 2008, and the 60th Mainichi Art Award. He received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2021. www.jokanamori.com

The Washington Ballet

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Discover The Washington Ballet (TWB), where a rich history of artistic excellence meets a steadfast commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. TWB supports a mission to bring the joy and artistry of dance to the heart of the nation’s capital and into the streets of the DC community. As ambassadors of classical and contemporary ballet, TWB not only present performances of the highest caliber but also nurture the next generation of dancers through its distinguished school (The Washington School of Ballet). Beyond the stage and studio, the organizations extend its embrace to the entire community, fostering a love for dance through extensive education programs and meaningful community engagement initiatives. Follow The Washington Ballet on a journey where passion, precision, and purpose converge to create a dance experience that transcends boundaries and captivates the soul.

Kaoru Watanabe

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Acclaimed New York-based composer and instrumentalist Kaoru Watanabe’s melodic, authentic, and engaging music focuses on points of connection: the joints between Western jazz and Eastern traditional, Japanese theater and political action, the ancient and the all-too-contemporary. Born into a musical family, Watanabe began training at a young age, eventually studying jazz at the Manhattan School of Music, before devoting a decade overseas as the first American performer and artistic director of the world-renowned taiko drum performance group KODO. While in Japan, Watanabe worked with elite Japanese artists, such as National Living Treasures Bando Tamasaburo and Tosha Meisho, and calligrapher Kakinuma Koji, and studied, performed, and practiced traditional folk dance and song, tea-ceremony, Kyogen opera, and agriculture. These experiences profoundly influence Watanabe’s practice to this day. Since returning to New York, his signature skill of infusing Japanese culture with disparate styles has made him a much-in-demand collaborator. Watanabe’s impressive list of creative works across different media reflects his ever-curious ear and wandering eye. He has collaborated with iconic, groundbreaking artists such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Yo-Yo Ma, Laurie Anderson, Jason Moran, Rhiannon Giddens, flamenco dancer Eva Yerbabuena, and Alicia Hall Moran. He was an advisor and featured musician on Wes Anderson’s Oscar-nominated soundtrack for Isle of Dogs and a guest on Silkroad’s Grammy Award-winning album Sing Me Home. He has been commissioned to compose and arrange for such ensembles as Sydney Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and Silkroad. His works have been performed in Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Kabukiza, Théâtre du Châtelet, the Sydney Opera House, and venues across five continents.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Parking is limited in the District, especially during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. It’s highly recommended that visitors use DC’s alternative transportation modes like Capital Bikeshare, DC Streetcar, Scooters, DC Circulator, Metrobus, and Metrorail to make the most of their experience.

 The show will be live-streamed on the Festival YouTube Channel.

Trigger Warning: Please be advised that this production may contain strobe lighting effects, sudden loud noises, and the use of a confetti cannon

 Bag Policy: The venue will only allow clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC tote bags no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″ and/or small clutch bags (4.5″x 6.5″)

Additional venue details are available on the Warner Theatre website.

Watch the 2024 Opening Ceremony livestream below, and please subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great Festival content!

a SNEAK PEEK AT PAST PERFORMANCES!

Transportation

Parking is limited in the District, especially during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. It’s highly recommended that visitors use DC’s alternative transportation modes like Capital Bikeshare, DC Streetcar, Scooters, DC Circulator, Metrobus, and Metrorail to make the most of their experience. 

Parking

We recommend booking convenient and affordable parking in advance through SpotHero, the nation's leading parking reservations app.

To reserve your parking spot, visit the National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony SpotHero Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up.

Co-Presented with

Supporting Sponsors

Contributing Sponsors

Special Thanks

Embassy Of Japan
The Webster Group – Global Event Management

Media Partner

7News & WJLA 24/7 News