Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival
51st annual weekend celebration of Japanese and Japanese American culture — taiko, martial arts, tea ceremony, ikebana, food, and sumo at Seattle Center.
About the event
In its 51st year, the Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival brings 25,000+ visitors and over 40 performers and 40 exhibitors to Seattle Center over a three-day weekend. The festival celebrates Japanese and Japanese American culture with traditional performances, authentic food, cultural demonstrations, and hands-on workshops — all free to attend.
The festival coincides with peak cherry blossom bloom in Seattle's Japanese Garden and nearby neighborhoods, connecting the cultural celebration to the ecological moment it was built around.
What to expect
Martial arts demonstrations, taiko drumming, live music, tea ceremony, food vendors, arts and crafts, sake tasting, ikebana (flower arranging), games, art exhibits, and sumo wrestling. Seattle Center's outdoor spaces fill with families, community groups, and cherry blossom viewers across all three days, 11 AM to 5 PM each day.