WASHINGTON, DC (April 3, 2024) – The Japan-America Society of Washington DC’s (JASWDC) Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival, the largest celebration of Japanese culture in the United States, returns to Pennsylvania Ave this spring on Saturday and Sunday, April 13 – 14, 2024.

Sakura Matsuri 2024 will feature over 24 hours of Japanese performances and cultural presentations, authentic Japanese food and beverages, handmade Japanese crafts, and more. The Matsuri’s feature pavilions, Beyond Tokyo: Regions of Japan, will introduce attendees to lesser-known areas of Japan and how best to travel to these regions, and Japan Smart infrastructure will showcase some of the cutting-edge Japanese technologies, products, and services that will help define the future infrastructure of American life.

The Matsuri’s four stages and five unique areas will return with a mix of new and legacy exhibitors, welcoming back performers from Japan. Attendees will be thrilled by the famous Martial Arts stage, with demonstrations of karate to kendo. The Taste of Japan area welcomes attendees to explore the flavors of Japan with nearly 40 food vendors, four Kirin Beer Gardens, and the Hakutsuru Sake Tasting Pavilion. This year’s Sakura Matsuri features more Japanese food than ever before!

Attendees can engage in hands-on cultural experiences in the Arts & Culture area with numerous Japanese exhibitions, from doll-making to calligraphy. For those in the mood to shop, the Ginza Marketplace and Japan Now areas are guaranteed to tempt with a colorful array of authentic Japanese products. Finally, the Matsuri’s Children’s Corner is perfect for family-friendly activities for children of all ages. Check sakuramatsuri.org for performance and features updates as April 13th approaches.

The Japan-America Society of Washington DC is proud to welcome back Presenting Sponsor, Kirin Beer.

The Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival marks the importance of the United States-Japan relationship in our Nation’s Capital and Japan’s significant legacy in the District of Columbia since its gift of cherry trees to our region 112 years ago. Japan-America Society of Washington DC’s Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival is proud to participate in Washington DC’s National Cherry Blossom Festival as a Premier Event.


2024 SAKURA MATSURI HIGHLIGHTS

WISH SEASON 3 FILMING || Join us on Sunday, April 14 for Season 3 of the WISH talent competition, live and on stage at the Sakura Matsuri! Many have applied, some have passed the first round, and we’re down to the finalists. Be a part of a live audience and cheer the participants on as they compete in front of a panel of judges for a chance to win tickets to Japan and meetings with talent agencies. Think “America’s Got Talent” with a Japanese flair. Included as a part of the filming will be performances from Kikyo, TAEKO, and DA PUMP! Join us Sunday to experience the magic of these performances!

IZAKAYA PAVILION || Introducing the new Izakaya Pavilion at Sakura Matsuri 2024! Come explore the all-new Izakaya Pavilion – and learn about the Japanese alcoholic beverages at the heart of izakaya culture. Join us for sample pours of premium Japanese sake, shochu, and whiskey. Visit the SBANA Matsuri Sake Garden to purchase a full pour glass of some of the finest sakes that Japan – and the United States – have to offer. Mainstays of the Sakura Matsuri will also be back in 2024, including the Kirin Beer Gardens and the Hakutsuru Sake Tasting Pavilion.

KAGAMI BIRAKI || Our traditional sake-barrel opening ceremony on the Sakura Matsuri Capitol Stage. Featured guests include Deputy Mayor of the District of Columbia Nina Albert on Saturday April 13, and His Excellency Shigeo Yamada, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the United States of America, on Sunday April 14.

TICKETS

JASWDC encourages all participants to purchase tickets in advance to expedite entry at sakuramatsuri.org.

While choosing your tickets, you can pre-order your choice of Matsuri merchandise! From this year’s new T-shirt designs to the adorable Sakura-chan plush, there’s something for every Matsuri fan. Our new ukiyo-e 2024 Sakura Matsuri t-shirt design features Sakura-chan and her friend at the Sakura Matsuri!

MATSURI APP

The official app for Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival 2024, powered by Guidebook, is now available. With this resource, you have access to the most up-to-date information. Search “JASWDC Guides” in the App Store or Google Play to download the guide on your iOS and Android devices

Link to download: https://builder.guidebook.com/g/sakuramatsuri2024/

HOURS OF OPERATION, LOCATION, & ENTRANCES

10:30 AM-6:00 PM, Saturday, April 13th

10:30 AM-4:00 PM, Sunday, April 14th

The Sakura Matsuri will be held at Pennsylvania & Constitution Ave. 3rd-7th St NW, Washington DC. There will be three entrances to the Matsuri at Pennsylvania Ave and 7th, Constitution and 6th, and John Marshall Park. Entrance lines can be long, so check the festival map on the day to find the most convenient entrance.

PRESS & MEDIA

For more information regarding the Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival, please contact Sakura Matsuri Director, Sam Harris with the Japan-America Society of Washington DC at [email protected] or call (202) 833-2210. For media / press information and access, and for high quality images of the Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival, please contact Communications Manager, Luciana Martorell at [email protected]

2024 SAKURA MATSURI PRESS KIT AVAILABLE HERE: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBjRz3

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ABOUT THE JAPAN-AMERICA SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DC

The Japan-America Society of Washington DC is a 501(c)(3) educational and cultural non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the relationship between Japan and the US at the grassroots public diplomacy level. Our programming aims to bring Japanese and American people closer together in the Nation’s Capital area.

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