2026 Cherry Blossom Festival - Event Report
2026 Festival Photos (Katie Phillips)
Kyle Porter, Nisa Miranda Spring Intern
Under the blooming cherry blossoms hidden within the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Japanese culture was alive and present in Alabama on March 21st. Our 19th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival welcomed nearly 6,500 guests from all around the state and beyond to enjoy their own piece of Japanese tradition and serenity. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is home to the historical Japanese Gardens – established in 1967, these gardens have served to highlight the natural and cultural beauty that Japan brings to Birmingham and the surrounding community. Each year, JASA welcomes local communities to enjoy a day full of cultural significance, beautiful dances, and lifelong memories! This year, JASA welcomed over 30 vendors, performers, and organizations to promote their activities, get creative with their community, and share their passions. With booths spread across the entirety of the Japanese Gardens, guests were able to explore their interests while enjoying the soft beauty of the gardens itself.
The festival began at 10:15 AM with the opening ceremonies, facilitated by JASA’s Assistant Director Gwenafaye McCormick, and included kind comments by Kennichi Matsuda, Consul General of Japan in Atlanta; Sonja Smith, City Councilor and Chair of the Arts and Culture Committee; Julia Adams, Head Horticulturalist of the Japanese Gardens; and JASA Board President Carolyn Turner. To kick off the day, Daikin’s drum team, Taiko Force, gave a rousing performance, followed by the UAB students’ Soran Bushi dance performance. As the sun began to shine through the pink and white blossoms, the Birmingham Kendo club took to the performance stage for a striking yet elegant demonstration.
The performance schedule included a lunch break, which allowed guests time to visit various booths, enjoy the implicit peace of the gardens, and relax under the shade of one of the Gardens’ many trees - perhaps with a tasty lunch! Vendors including Panda Pan Bakery, On The Run Concessions, Cafe Baboy, and Nori Thai & Sushi had a variety of choices for a quick snack or a hot meal. For a more traditional “snack,” guests could participate in the very popular tea ceremony demonstrations at the historic Toshinan Tea House, showcasing the elegance and grace of Japanese traditional tea ceremony - and the deliciously complex flavors of matcha and Japanese tri-colored dango rice dumplings. JASA’s variety of Japanese cultural activities were particularly popular during the break, with our calligraphy, origami, and kendama booths bustling with creativity and play. JASA’s own booth welcomed more guests to the gardens and shared Japanese culture further with Hinmatsuri doll displays and two beautiful Ikebana arrangements by Miki Jinno.
After the lunch break, guests were welcomed back to the performance stage through the soft sounds of traditional Japanese music, skillfully performed by Geni Skendo. As he concluded his flute performance, guests welcomed Reiko Otomo for her Buyo traditional dance performance, floating across the stage trailing wisteria in her wake. At 2:20 PM, Choko Aiken filled the air with music once again through a piano performance of modern and traditional Japanese music. The Skinkendo Club of Birmingham followed behind with sharp blades and a breathtaking demonstration of their own art form. Finally, the day’s performances ended with an adorable summer dance by the Briarwood Japanese Children’s Club, who pretended to be fireflies and raccoons frolicking in the moonlight!
The festival concluded at 4:00 PM as guests captured their last photos of the colorful blossoms, and the gardens returned to a quiet state as the sun began to set.
JASA is honored to have the opportunity to host the annual Cherry Blossom Festival again this year, and to support Japanese presence throughout the state. With increased popularity of the Festival, costs of putting on the event have increased 350% in the last 2 years. Our kind Sakura sponsors - Honda, Page & Jones, Quanta, Topre America Corporation, Madison Metal Processing, and the University of West Alabama - as well as personal donations made a significant impact on the possibility of this event. Similar to the delicate nature of the garden’s pink and white cherry blossoms, supporting Japanese presence through events like these can be challenging, but through community-based support, Japanese culture and communities within Alabama can continue to be supported, and the cherry blossoms can continue to bloom.
We encourage you, if you are able or interested in being more involved in our mission, to make a one-time donation in support of our work or consider becoming a JASA member.
Your involvement and support is what makes our work possible - thank you, to our current members, and those who have donated!
