Immerse yourself in the history and culture of sakura with a new video series from the Library of Congress: Cherry Blossom Viewing over the Centuries. Three short videos highlight Cherry Blossoms in Japanese Culture,Tokyo’s Gift of Friendship, and Fleeting Beauty, Enduring Traditions.
Thundering taiko drumming meets traditional Japanese dance as nearly thirty drummers and dancers from Tamagawa University take the stage. It is one of the top-ranking taiko groups in Japan coming out of Japan’s top performing arts university. Tamagawa University Dance and Taiko Group has been touring the world since 1961, visiting Mexico, England, Greece, Canada, Malaysia, Indonesia, Africa and the United States. We have been touring extensively in East Coast since 2003, which includes performances at the Kennedy Center, the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC., the Subaru Cherry
Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia, and the NBA Half-time show at the Wachovia Center We are so excited to be a part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival again!
Travel to Japan is open once again, and we invite you experience and explore Japan firsthand. Learn more about the Festival partners who would love to help you plan your trip!
What began with a gift in 1912 at the Tidal Basin is now a four-week extravaganza spanning Washington, DC, and neighboring communities in Maryland and Virginia. From exciting events to convenient hotels, delectable Cherry Picks restaurants to, vibrant Art in Bloom installations, and a jaw-dropping City in Bloom to joyful Petal Porches, see the Washington, DC area as you can only see it once a year!
Sakura Sunday at National Harbor will feature a wide array of free cultural activities including Japanese inspired art creation, culinary classes, in person or virtual, and much more to be announced.
More to come soon!
Southern Avenue
Wiehle-Reston East Station
Embark on a journey 100 years into the future to an overdeveloped metropolis where nature’s resilience takes center stage.
Inspired by the annual cherry blossom season and utilizing the power of creative technology, Renewal 2121 seeks to inspire hope amid a global pandemic and concerns of climate change.
Renewal 2121 presents a possible future 100 years from now, if humanity’s growth and expansion goes unchecked. As visitors explore ARTECHOUSE DC’s four galleries, they will traverse through a cyberpunk cityscape, an interactive market, bustling alleyways and an abandoned rooftop, finding nature blooming in the most unexpected places amidst this industrial future. This science fiction aesthetic is intentional —the imagined worlds of our future and advancements in science and technology often inspire one other.
The installation’s inspiration also celebrates three themes of renewal —the city, nature, and ourselves.Paralleling the constant rebirth of cities through human innovation and nature’s adaptive resilience, Renewal2121 coincides with both the blooming season and the beginning of the calendar year. The forward-looking energy of new hopes, dreams and actions that these cycles bring is part of the core message of this multi-sensory experience, along with the critical challenge that we face together as global citizens: climate change. Focusing specifically on the extinction element of climate change and presenting “sakura” or cherry blossoms as a symbol for nature as a whole, Renewal 2121 aims to inspire people to harness their energy towards finding solutions that will ensure a brighter future.
Smithsonian
Japanese Culture Day provides an exciting opportunity for children, their families, and teachers to learn about Japanese culture through reading, writing, and craft-making with Japanese cultural and linguistic professionals. Activities include a demonstration of the Japanese harp, calligraphy, and tiara making with the cherry blossom princesses, in addition to our regular programs, such as the introduction of Japanese woodblock prints, Japanese storytelling, and origami, among others. The Japan-America Society of Washington DC will present Japan-In-A-Suitcase, a program introducing Japan and its culture.
What began with a gift in 1912 at the Tidal Basin is now a four-week extravaganza spanning Washington, DC, and neighboring communities in Maryland and Virginia. From exciting events to convenient hotels, delectable Cherry Picks restaurants, vibrant Art in Bloom installations, and a jaw-dropping City in Bloom to joyful Petal Porches, see the Washington, DC area as you can only see it once a year!
Travel to Japan is open once again, and we invite you experience and explore Japan firsthand. Learn more about the Festival partners who would love to help you plan your trip!
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.
Join our email list! Be the first to know when Opening Ceremony tickets are released and future news.
Watch the 2024 Opening Ceremony livestream! Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great Festival content.
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.
Kazunori Kumagai began tap dancing at age 15 and moved to the US at age 19. He was described as a “true tap artist” by the NY Times. In 2006, he was selected by Dance Magazine as one of the “25 dancers to watch in the world,” and in 2014 he received the Flo-Bert Award in NY, and in 2016 he received the Bessie Award. Kumagai was selected as one of the “100 Japanese people respected by the world” by Newsweek magazine in 2019. Kumagai also performed, choreographed, and composed music for the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Currently has two main bases in New York and Japan, and is expanding his activities to Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world. His unique and one-of-a-kind art is evolving every day, creating a new future for tap dance.
Seiwa Bunraku is the only remaining traditional puppetry organization in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. Seiwa Bunraku puppet theater began about 170 years ago (toward the end of the Edo period) in Seiwa Village (now the Seiwa section of Yamato Town, Kumamoto Prefecture), when local farmers learned from visiting members of the Awaji Puppet Troupe. While going through rises and declines, the performing art was passed down by farming communities.
In 2022, as part of a reconstruction effort from the Kumamoto Earthquake, “Chopper, Embarking from the Winter Sakura” was presented in collaboration with ONE PIECE, a popular manga by Eiichiro Oda, who is from Kumamoto Prefecture. A remake of the play adapted to the scale of Seiwa Bunrakukan has been staged since 2023, and now in March 2025, the highlight of the work will be presented abroad for the first time at the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C.
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.
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″)
The show will be live-streamed on the Festival YouTube channel. Additional venue details are available on the Warner Theatre website.
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.
Embassy of Japan
The Webster Group – Global Event Management
7News & WJLA 24/7 News
Many of the Giant Cherry Blossom sculptures returned in spring 2024 to locations in all eight wards of Washington, DC, and beyond. Scroll down to check out the map with Art In Bloom locations.
Art bloomed in 2022 with the Petalpalooza Art Walk, a series of immersive, ‘Instagrammable’ art installations that residents and visitors enjoyed 24/7 from April 4 – 17 throughout the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood, leading up to Petalpalooza on April 16. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to find out about the 2023 Petalpalooza Art Walk!
by Melissa Ragos, Maria Luz Roa, Natalie Cox, Gonzalo Rodriguez and Darrah Wills
What began with a gift in 1912 at the Tidal Basin is now spans five weekends throughout Washington, DC, and neighboring communities in Maryland and Virginia. Spring It On and go all out in celebrating the season — from exciting events to convenient hotels, delectable Cherry Picks restaurants to, vibrant Art in Bloom installations, and a jaw-dropping City in Bloom to joyful Petal Porches, see the Washington, DC area as you can only see it once a year!
View the map below to locate the Art in Bloom presented by Amazon Giant Cherry Blossom Sculptures available in public spaces throughout the region. Please note that some sculptures may be in storage; please review the listing to determine if the sculpture is currently on display.
Questions? E-mail us at ncbf@ncbfdc.org.
The 2024 Official Artwork, ‘Fleeing Beauty,’ captures the essence of cherry blossoms against the iconic backdrop of Washington DC’s monuments and a sneak peek of the beauftil Tidal Basin.
Nicolas Shi, a long time Washington, DC resident, was born in El Salvador from Chinese parents. In 1980, he left his war-torn country and came to the United States to attend college, receiving a Masters degree in Architectural Engineering from Oklahoma State University in 1986. He practiced Architecture and Engineering for more than ten years before dedicating himself to painting. His work is influenced by his Latin American upbringing, his Chinese heritage, and his formal education in the United States. He mixes the bright colors of Central America with the harmony and simplicity of traditional Chinese painting and the boldness found in contemporary American art.
Shi has exhibited internationally, most notable at Museo de Arte, El Salvador; Centro Cultural Casa de la Moneda, Santiago, Chile; Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum, Washington, DC; the Gasteig Cultural Center, Munich; the Ibero- Amerikanishes Institut, Berlin; and the Biggs Museum of American Art, Dover, DE. His work is included in numerous private and public collections, including the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum, the Inter-American Development Bank, Museo de Arte de El Salvador, DC Art Bank, and the University of Maryland.
View more of Shi’s work at NicolasFShi.com and Instagram.
Artwork provided by ARTECHOUSE
Witness peak bloom at the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, while also experiencing entertainment representing Japanese, American, and other cultures!
Live performances among the blossoms at the Tidal Basin celebrate the longstanding friendship between the U.S. and Japan with a dynamic, cross-cultural mix of American, Japanese, and other performing arts. This year, we are expecting over 100 performances on the ANA Stage. Get ready to experience a variety of genres: Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Jazz, Pop, R&B, and Rock. Expect a diverse array of dance styles and performances, including Japanese, Eastern European, Colombian, Indian, Flamenco, Tap and Clogging, Zumba, and double dutch!
Welcome Area is open 10 AM – 6 PM. Performances are featured on the ANA stage from 12 – 6 PM during Peak Bloom, rain or shine. More details coming soon.
PLEASE NOTE: It is against the law to touch or climb the cherry trees. Help us continue to enjoy these beautiful trees for many generations to come!
The Welcome Area offers:
Applications are now closed for the Tidal Basin Welcome Area during the 2024 National Cherry Blossom Festival. Are you interested in performing on the Tidal Basin Stage during next year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival? Please click here to fill out the 2025 interest form.
Swipe to check out 2023 Tidal basin Welcome Area and ANA Stage fun
Pet comfort stations will be available at the Tidal Basin Welcome Area, Blossom Kite Festival, and Petalpalooza. Discover more pet-friendly events!
What began with a gift in 1912 at the Tidal Basin is now a four-week extravaganza spanning Washington, DC, and neighboring communities in Maryland and Virginia. From exciting events to convenient hotels, delectable Cherry Picks restaurants to vibrant Art in Bloom installations, and a jaw-dropping City in Bloom, see the Washington, DC area as you can only see it once a year!
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.
3/18 – 4/2/23: In order to best accommodate the increased traffic around the Tidal Basin during Peak Bloom, the National Park Service will be changing traffic patterns in the area. Please be ready for one-way signage and road closures, including West Basin Drive for the Tidal Basin Welcome Area & ANA Stage.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the beauty of nature and international friendship through year-round programs, events, and educational initiatives that enhance our environment, showcase arts and culture, and build community spirit.
