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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260321T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260321T183000
DTSTAMP:20260512T000644
CREATED:20251106T031138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260401T153455Z
UID:3383-1774112400-1774117800@nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
SUMMARY:Opening Ceremony
DESCRIPTION:Tickets are SOLD OUT. We have limited STANDBY TICKETS the day of the event. Please line up at 5PM on C street. We highly encourage everyone to livestream on the Festival’s YouTube Channel: @CherryBlossFest. 								\n				\n				\n				\n									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.   The event features performances from world-renowned artists connected to both the US and Japan\, showcasing the depth and diversity of Japanese arts\, including breathtaking traditional sword dances by Futago Onikenbai; pop music by award-winning singer Ayaka Hirahara\, and modern dance choreographed by Takehiro Ueyama.   The National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Opening Ceremony is co-presented with The Japan Foundation. The Host Sponsor is The Daughters of the American Revolution. The Supporting Sponsors are Daiichi Sankyo\, JCAW\, Japan National Tourism Organization\, Toyota Motor North America\, Inc. The Contributing Sponsors are EventEQ\, MUFG Bank\, Ltd. The Media Partners are 7 News & 24/7 News WJLA. Special thanks to the Embassy of Japan\, The Webster Group – Global Event Management. 								\n				\n		\n				\n				\n							\n			\n						\n		\n						\n				\n				\n				\n					\n				\n		\n					\n				\n				\n					2026 PERFORMERS				\n				\n				\n				\n					FUTAGO ONIKENBAIFutago Onikenbai performs the centuries-old Buddhist art originally\nknown as Nenbutsu Kenbai dating back more than 1\,200 years\, Oni Kenbai was introduced by mountain ascetic monks and later carried on by farming communities as a prayer for protection\, health\, and abundant harvests.\n\nThough often translated as “Demon Sword Dance\,” the masked performers represent manifestations of Buddhist deities as symbols of guidance and compassion rather than fear.\n\nThis dynamic art form combines chanting Buddhist prayers with rhythmic sword movements\, fans\, bare-hand choreography\, and acrobatic sequences. While the original Oni Kenbai troupe in Kitakami is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage\, today there are 13 affiliated groups preserving the tradition. This troupe\, celebrating its 70th anniversary\, continues to train rigorously to ensure the vitality of Oni\nKenbai for future generations.  				\n				\n				\n				\n					TAKEHIRO UEYAMA AND TAKE DANCEBringing a contemporary perspective to the program\, internationally recognized choreographer Takehiro Ueyama will present an innovative\nmodern dance work. A native of Tokyo\, Ueyama moved to the United States to study at The Juilliard School and later toured internationally for eight years with the Paul Taylor Dance Company. In 2005\, he founded TAKE Dance\, a company known for its athleticism and evocative fusion of Eastern and Western aesthetics. Drawing inspiration from his Japanese heritage\, nature\, and humanity\, Ueyama’s choreography explores themes of beauty\, resilience\,\ncompassion\, and the duality of light and darkness. He is the recipient of\nnumerous honors\, including the S&R Foundation Washington Award\, a\nNYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship\, and the 2025 Gross Family Prize. 				\n				\n				\n				\n					AYAKA HIRAHARADebuting in 2003 with the hit song “Jupiter\,” Ayaka Hirahara quickly\ngained widespread recognition as a singer\, earning numerous honors\nincluding the Artist Award at the Japan Record Awards and the Japan\nGold Disc Award. In addition to her singing career\, she has been active\nin a wide range of fields\, including musicals\, voice acting\, television\ndramas\, and film dubbing.\nIn 2015\, she established the Ayaka Hirahara Jupiter Fund to contribute\nto society and support various initiatives through music. She also\nperformed the national anthem at the opening match of the 2019\nRugby World Cup. Her musical theater credits include Love Never Dies\,\nBeautiful\, Mary Poppins\, Fist of the North Star: Hokuto no Ken\, and\nMoulin Rouge! The Musical.\nHer latest single serves as the theme song for the Expo 2025 Osaka–\nKansai pavilion “PASONA NATUREVERSE\,” titled “Thank You\, Life / To the Future of 8 Billion.” Since\nher debut\, she has released 35 singles\, 12 digital singles\, and 29 albums—including cover albums\nand best-of compilations—as well as 15 DVDs and 7 Blu-ray titles.\nA Blu-ray recording of the final performance of the The Swinging Classics! concert tour\, co-directed\nwith Masataka Matsutoya\, is currently on sale. A full orchestral album is scheduled for release in fall\n2026\, and a concert tour with a full orchestra has also been announced. 				\n				\n				\n				\n							\n			\n						\n		\n						\n				\n					\n				\n		\n					\n				\n				\n					2025 OPENING CEREMONY 				\n				\n				\n				\n							\n							\n																											\n													\n									\n					\n						\n				\n					\n				\n		\n					\n		\n		\n				\n				\n					CO-PRESENTED WITH				\n				\n				\n		\n		\n				\n				\n																\n															\n															\n				\n				\n		\n				\n		\n				\n		\n				\n				\n				\n		\n		\n				\n				\n									2026 SUPPORTING SPONSORS 								\n				\n				\n		\n		\n				\n				\n																\n															\n															\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n																\n															\n															\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n																\n															\n															\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n																\n															\n															\n				\n				\n				\n				\n		\n		\n		\n				\n				\n																\n															\n															\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n																\n															\n															\n				\n				\n		\n				\n		\n				\n				\n				\n		\n		\n				\n				\n									2025 SPONSORS 								\n				\n				\n		\n		\n				\n				\n																														\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n																														\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n																														\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n																														\n				\n				\n				\n				\n		\n		\n				\n				\n									2026 media sponsors 								\n				\n				\n		\n		\n				\n				\n																\n															\n															\n				\n				\n		\n				\n		\n				\n		\n				\n				\n				\n		\n		\n				\n				\n									2026 Contributing sponsor 								\n				\n				\n				\n				\n							\n							\n											\n\n											EventEQ\n											\n									\n								\n											\n\n											 MUFG Bank\, Ltd.\n											\n									\n						\n						\n				\n				\n		\n		\n				\n				\n									special thANKS 								\n				\n				\n				\n				\n							\n							\n										Embassy of Japan\n									\n								\n										The Webster Group – Global Event Management\n									\n						\n						\n				\n				\n					\n				\n		\n					\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n				\n				\n							\n			\n						\n		\n						\n				\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n					Mobility Access				\n				\n				\n				\n									This event is wheelchair-accessible. 								\n				\n				\n				\n				\n		\n		\n		\n		\n				\n				\n							\n			\n						\n		\n						\n				\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n					Communication Access				\n				\n				\n				\n									ASL interpretation will be provided. 								\n				\n				\n				\n				\n		\n		\n		\n		\n				\n				\n							\n			\n						\n		\n						\n				\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n					Service Animals				\n				\n				\n				\n									Service animals are always allowed. 								\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n					\n				\n		\n					\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n				\n				\n							\n			\n						\n		\n						\n				\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n					Sensory Considerations​				\n				\n				\n				\n									This event typically draws large crowds and can be noisy. If someone in your group has sensory sensitivities\, you may wish to bring headphones or earplugs. In addition\, there may be the use of a confetti cannon and/or flashing lights. 								\n				\n				\n				\n				\n		\n		\n		\n		\n				\n				\n							\n			\n						\n		\n						\n				\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n					seating				\n				\n				\n				\n									Accessible seating is available. If you or a member of your party requires specific seating arrangements\, please contact rsvp@ncbfdc.org in advance so we can accommodate your needs. 								\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n					\n				\n		\n					\n				\n				\n					Additional Accommodations				\n				\n				\n				\n									For any other accessibility needs\, please reach out to ncbf@ncbf.org so we can help ensure a positive experience 								\n				\n					\n				\n		\n					\n				\n				\n							\n			\n						\n		\n						\n				\n				\n				\n					Event Summary				\n				\n		\n		\n				\n				\n					\n	Opening Ceremony				\n				\n				\n				\n					\n		\n			March 21\n\n	\n\n	 @ \n\n\n5:00 PM\n\n		\n\n\n\n	\n	 - \n\n6:30 PM\n\n\n\n	\n				\n				\n				\n				\n					\n				\n				\n	\n	\n	\n\n1776 D St NW\n	\n		\n		Washington\,\n\n\n	20006\n\n	United States\n\n\n\n\n\n		\n	\n				\n				\n				\n				\n		\n		\n		\n					\n				\n				\n					\n	\n\n	Categories:	\n		Music\, Signature Event	\n\n				\n				\n					\n				\n				\n		\n				\n				\n					\n		\n			\n	Neighborhood\n		\n	Downtown DC\n			\n	Event Setting\n		\n	Indoor\n			\n	Audience\n		\n	Family-Friendly|All Ages\n			\n	Cost\n		\n	Buy Tickets\n			\n	Expected Audience\n		\n	1\,000–5\,000\n	\n\n				\n				\n				\n				\n					\n 				\n				\n				\n				\n					\n				\n				\n				\n				\n					\n				\n		\n					\n		\n				\n				\n					SNEAK PEEK AT PAST PERFORMANCES!
URL:https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/event/opening-ceremony/
LOCATION:DAR Constitution Hall\, 1776 D St NW\, Washington\, 20006\, United States
CATEGORIES:Music,Signature Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Featured_Image-Opening_Ceremony-01.jpg
GEO:38.8939852;-77.0400112
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