Spring is here, cherry blossoms are in bloom, and there’s no better place to celebrate the season than at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a stunning 52-acre garden in the heart of Brooklyn. To honor traditional and contemporary Japanese culture, Brooklyn Botanic Garden is hosting Sakura Matsuri, their annual cherry blossom festival, April 27–28. As one of the top Brooklyn attractions, this has become a beloved tradition of NYC, bringing in thousands of attendees every year!
Sakura Matsuri marks the end of hanami, the month-long Japanese celebration of the cherry blossom. Brooklyn Botanic Garden invites attendees to immerse themselves in authentic Japanese culture for two full days of celebration while the cherry blossoms are at the peak of their bloom. With two stages packed with over 60 performances, demonstrations, and exhibits including taiko drummers, samurai-sword masters, and J-rock bands, this event promises a weekend of unending entertainment against one of the year’s most gorgeous backdrops.
Enjoy performances and presentations from the Lafayette Harris Quintet, who play original jazz compositions inspired by Japanese culture; tea masters Soumi Shimizu and SÅkyo Shimizu, who share the ancient traditional Japanese tea ceremony; and the Japanese Folk Dance Institute of NY, who will showcase vibrant traditional Minbu dances. There are even interactive activities, like a taiko drumming master class for kids and an anime game show hosted by cosplay curator extraordinaire Charles Battersby. Check out the full schedule of events for Saturday and Sunday to start planning your trip ahead of time!
But that’s not all! You’ll also find a Japanese tearoom, silk wraps, and a profusion of beautiful flowers housed in the Garden’s Cherry Esplanade. While there, you can enjoy the Cherry Walk, a quiet path framed by showy Prunus ‘Kanzan’ trees, or dozens of other cherry blossoms as your backdrop. With more than 200 trees, an impressive 48 species and cultivars are represented in Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Flowering Cherry Collection, including Prunus ‘Accolade’, Prunus serrulata, and Prunus × yedoensis.
This beautiful celebration of Japanese culture only comes once a year, so get your tickets today before they sell out!