First held in 1961 as a small members-only event, the Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival is now the largest exhibition of Japanese culture in the United States.

The Sakura Matsuri is held each spring, produced by the Japan-America Society of Washington, DC and is a Premier Event of the overall National Cherry Blossom Festival. The Sakura Matsuri regularly attracts over 40,000 attendees across both days.

Since 2018, the Sakura Matsuri has been held on Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, NW between 3rd to 7th Streets on the same day of the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. Every year, over 120 vendors, exhibitors and performers participate in the Matsuri and share their love of Japanese culture, performance, and food with attendees.

2025 Participant Applications Are Now Closed

Become a Sponsor

Sponsor Sakura Matsuri – Japanese street festival and be seen by an audience of over 40,000 Japan-interested attendees. Click the button below to learn more about sponsorship options.

Volunteer

The Sakura Matsuri couldn’t take place without our dedicated volunteers! We need over 600 volunteers to help us staff this amazing festival. We have a wide variety of committees, shifts, and tasks for you to choose from, so find one that interests you and jump on in!