Japantown

The San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival, now the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, was first celebrated in 1968, just after the opening of the Japan Trade Center. The Japanese American communities that had resettled in the neighborhood following World War II linked the Center’s opening to a three-day event to preserve traditions, boost the local economy, and reinforce the U.S.-Japan friendship by featuring food, parades and entertainment. 

Photo by C. Malcolm Thompson