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U.S. Japanese Festival Calendar 2026–2027 | Cherry Blossom, Bon Dance, Japan Fest and New Year Events by City

U.S. Japanese Festival Calendar 2026–2027

Across the U.S., Japan-themed festivals take place in cities throughout the year, from cherry blossom festivals and Obon Bon Dances to Japan fests lined with Japanese food stalls. This article organizes the main Japanese festivals across the country from fall 2026 through summer 2027 by season and city.

We list officially announced 2027 dates separately from the usual timing of festivals whose dates have not yet been announced.

What you’ll learn in this article

  • Dates and cities of the main Japanese festivals across the U.S. from October 2026 through September 2027 (usual timing for those not yet announced)
  • Signature events by city, including NY, LA, the Bay Area, Hawaii, D.C. and Seattle, and whether admission is charged
  • What to wear, what to bring and how to handle crowds at outdoor festivals

Dates and prices were checked on the organizers’ official pages as of October 20, 2026. They may change, so please check the latest information at each link before you go. For festivals whose 2027 editions have not been announced, we list the previous (2026) information as their “usual” timing.

Quick guide: Japanese festivals, fall 2026 – summer 2027

DatesFestivalCityAdmission
Oct. 24 – Dec. 5, 2026 (multiple dates)JAPAN FesNew YorkCheck official site
Nov. 14, 2026JCCH Aki Matsuri x Craft FairHonoluluCheck official site
Dec. 13, 2026JAL Honolulu MarathonHonoluluPaid entry for runners
Jan. 10, 2027New Year’s ʻOhana FestivalHonoluluCheck official site
Feb. 27–28, 2027Arizona MatsuriPhoenixFree
Mar. 5–7, 2027Honolulu FestivalHonoluluPaid at some venues
Mar. 20 – Apr. 11, 2027National Cherry Blossom FestivalWashington, D.C.Varies by event
Apr. 3–4, 2027Subaru Cherry Blossom FestivalPhiladelphiaCheck official site
Apr. 9–11, 2027Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural FestivalSeattleFree
Apr. 10–11 and 17–18, 2027Northern California Cherry Blossom FestivalSan FranciscoCheck official site
May 8, 2027Japan Parade & Japan Street FairNew YorkCheck official site
June 11–13, 2027Pan-Pacific FestivalHonoluluFree
Aug. 7–8, 2027Nihonmachi Street FairSan FranciscoCheck official site
Aug. 14–22, 2027Nisei Week Japanese FestivalLos AngelesVaries by event

Festivals you can go to in fall–winter 2026 (October–December)

JAPAN Fes (New York) | October 24 – December 5

A Japanese food street festival where stalls selling ramen, takoyaki and more line the street, held at a different location each weekend. The remaining dates of the 2026 season are as follows.

  • Dates: Oct. 24 (East Village), Oct. 25 (Upper West Side), Oct. 30 (New Rochelle), Oct. 31 (Upper West Side), Nov. 1 (Long Island City), Nov. 14 (Midtown West), Dec. 5 (New Rochelle)
  • Hours, venue addresses and prices: Check the official website (food and drinks are purchased from each vendor)
  • Official page: JAPAN Fes 2026 schedule

If you are also stocking up on groceries, see Japanese grocery stores in New York and New Jersey (2026).

JCCH Aki Matsuri x Craft & Collectibles Fair (Honolulu) | November 14

  • Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Shichi-Go-San (the celebration for children ages 3, 5 and 7) registration is also held that day (reservation required)
  • Location: Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi (Moiliili)
  • Related event: “Mochi & Matcha Fest” on Saturday, December 5, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
  • Price: Check the official website
  • Official page: Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi

For directions to the center, see Getting to the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii (JCCH) (2026).

JAL Honolulu Marathon | December 13

  • Date: Sunday, December 13, 2026, 5 a.m. start
  • Location: Honolulu (check the official website for the start area and course)
  • Price: Runners pay an entry fee (check the official website for the amount). Cheering along the course is free
  • Official page: Honolulu Marathon

Japan-related events in Hawaii this fall and winter are also covered in detail in Japanese Events on Oahu, Hawaii, Fall–Winter 2026.

Winter 2027 (January–March): New Year events and early spring festivals

New Year’s ʻOhana Festival (Honolulu) | January 10, 2027

Oshogatsu Family Festival (Little Tokyo, Los Angeles) | Usually January

A New Year (oshogatsu) event hosted by the Japanese American National Museum (JANM). The 2027 edition has not been announced, so this is the usual (2026) information. JANM is closed for renovations (scheduled to reopen January 23, 2027), so check the official page for how the 2027 event will be held.

For getting to and walking around Little Tokyo, see How to explore Little Tokyo (LA) (2026).

Arizona Matsuri (Phoenix) | February 27–28, 2027

  • Dates: Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28, 2027. Last time it ran 10 a.m.–5 p.m., with the parade starting at 9:30 a.m. (check for 2027)
  • Location: Steele Indian School Park (300 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ)
  • Price: Free
  • Official page: Arizona Matsuri

Honolulu Festival | March 5–7, 2027

  • Dates: Friday, March 5 – Sunday, March 7, 2027 (31st festival)
  • Location: Last time, the Hawaii Convention Center was the main venue. The 2027 venues, parade and fireworks have not been announced
  • Price: Last time, the convention center venue charged admission ($8 for adults in advance, free for under 18), and the parade and fireworks were free. Check for 2027
  • Official page: Honolulu Festival

Spring 2027 (March–May): cherry blossom festival season

Cherry blossom festivals in the U.S. are concentrated from late March through April. Bloom timing shifts from year to year, so festival dates and peak bloom don’t always overlap.

National Cherry Blossom Festival / Sakura Matsuri (Washington, D.C.) | March 20 – April 11

  • Dates: Saturday, March 20 – Sunday, April 11, 2027. The kite festival and taiko festival are on March 27, and the parade is on April 10
  • Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival (65th): Saturday, April 10, 10:30 a.m. – Sunday, April 11, 4 p.m., on Pennsylvania Ave between 3rd and 7th St NW
  • Price: Varies by event (check admission for the street festival)
  • Official pages: National Cherry Blossom Festival, Sakura Matsuri

Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia | April 3–4

Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival | April 9–11

Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival (SF Japantown) | April 10–11 and 17–18

  • Dates: Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11, and Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18, 2027. It is the 60th anniversary edition, and the Grand Parade is on the final day, April 18
  • Location: San Francisco Japantown (the Peace Plaza area is under renovation, so check the 2027 venue layout)
  • Price: Check the official website
  • Official page: Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival

For shops around the venue and how to get there, see How to explore San Francisco Japantown (2026).

Japan Parade & Japan Street Fair (New York) | May 8, 2027

  • Date: Saturday, May 8, 2027. The official website says the parade time and route will be announced later
  • Location and price: Check the official website
  • Official page: Japan Parade NYC

For Japanese cultural institutions in New York, also see our Japan Society (NY) visitor guide.

Summer 2027 (June–September): Bon Dances and summer street festivals

Pan-Pacific Festival (Honolulu) | June 11–13

  • Dates: Friday, June 11 – Sunday, June 13, 2027 (44th festival; the official site notes that dates are subject to change)
  • Location: Honolulu (2027 venues not yet announced)
  • Price: Free (the official website says all events are free)
  • Official page: Pan-Pacific Festival

Bon Dances in Hawaii and California | Usually late May to early October

In Hawaii, temples on each island hold Bon Dances on weekends, and JCCH compiles a statewide schedule. In 2026 it listed about 80 events across all islands from May 24 to October 3 (the 2027 schedule has not been released). Buddhist temples in Los Angeles and San Jose also usually hold Obon Festivals on summer weekends; check each temple’s official website for dates.

Nihonmachi Street Fair (SF Japantown) | August 7–8

  • Dates: Saturday, August 7 and Sunday, August 8, 2027 (53rd fair)
  • Location: San Francisco Japantown
  • Price and hours: Check the official website
  • Official page: Nihonmachi Street Fair

Nisei Week Japanese Festival (Little Tokyo, LA) | August 14–22

  • Dates: Saturday, August 14 – Sunday, August 22, 2027 (85th festival). The dates and times of the Grand Parade and the closing Ondo dance have not been announced
  • Location: Little Tokyo
  • Price: Varies by event (check the official website)
  • Official page: Nisei Week

September festivals: Okinawan Festival / Japan Festival Houston (2027 not yet announced)

  • Okinawan Festival (Honolulu): In 2026, Saturday, September 5, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday, September 6, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at the Hawaii Convention Center (scaled down due to renovations, with no Bon Dance). Official website
  • Japan Festival Houston: In 2026, Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Hermann Park, free admission. Official website

What to wear, what to bring and things to know

All of these festivals are mainly outdoors. Spring cherry blossom festivals get cold in the mornings and evenings, and rain can cancel or shorten them. Summer Bon Dances stay hot and humid even after sunset, so it helps to have a light jacket and something to drink.

  • Cash and a card for small purchases: Food stall lines are long, and card payments can stop working when the network is congested
  • Water bottle, sunscreen and a hat: Many venues have little shade
  • Crowds: Roads around parades are closed on the day, and parking lots tend to fill up. Public transit or arriving early is recommended
  • Safety: At nighttime street festivals and big-city venues, take basic precautions such as carrying your bag in front of you
  • Yukata: You can join a Bon Dance in a yukata (summer kimono), but geta (wooden sandals) get tiring after a long time on your feet, so regular sandals are fine too

Frequently asked questions

Q. When are festivals without 2027 dates usually announced?

It depends on the festival, but spring cherry blossom festivals are often announced on their official websites in the fall or winter of the previous year, and summer Bon Dances in spring or early summer. Check the latest dates on each official page before you go.

Q. Are they fun for kids?

Many cherry blossom festivals and New Year events have hands-on family activities (calligraphy, origami, taiko and more). Strollers are hard to move in crowds, so a baby carrier makes things easier.

Q. Is there an admission fee?

Many festivals held in parks or on streets are free, while indoor venues (such as the Honolulu Festival’s convention center venue) may require tickets. Food and drinks are generally extra.

Summary

In fall 2026 there is JAPAN Fes in New York and the JCCH fall festival and Honolulu Marathon in Hawaii, followed in 2027 by New Year events, the Arizona Matsuri in February and the Honolulu Festival in March. April is packed with cherry blossom festivals in D.C., Philadelphia, Seattle and San Francisco, and the Japan Parade in May, summer Bon Dances, and Nisei Week and the Nihonmachi Street Fair in August are perennial favorites. For festivals with announced dates, book your lodging early, and for those not yet announced, check their official websites regularly.

Sources and references (checked October 20, 2026)

This article is also available in Japanese.

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