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All times are local to the venue · America/New York
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The March 20 ceremony at DAR Constitution Hall commemorates the 1912 gift of trees from Tokyo to Washington. Tickets are sold out, and the event page gives two different performer lists.
All times are local to the venue · America/New York
The National Cherry Blossom Festival’s 2027 Opening Ceremony joins an anniversary of the 1912 Tokyo-to-Washington tree gift with a performance bill that remains unclear: the event description names sword dancing, pop and modern dance, while a separate “2027 Performers” section lists a masked performance art, a jazz band and a shamisen player.
The Festival presents the Opening Ceremony as an annual tribute to the relationship between Japan and the United States, commemorating the 1912 gift of trees from Tokyo to Washington. The 2027 edition marks 115 years since that exchange.
That framing makes this a cultural performance event tied to a specific local history, rather than a general preview of cherry-blossom season. The ceremony is co-presented with the Japan Foundation.
Further reading: Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony DC ↗
In its main description, the event page says the ceremony features traditional sword dancing by Futago Onikenbai, pop music by singer Ayaka Hirahara and modern dance choreographed by Takehiro Ueyama. A separate section labeled “2027 Performers” instead names Iwami Kagura, Naoya Ogura Band and Sayo Komada. The page does not explain the difference, so neither list establishes a definitive lineup.
The two descriptions point toward different interests: the first toward sword dance, pop and contemporary choreography; the second toward masked performance, jazz arrangements and shamisen. The event page gives no order or individual set times, so these names are not a confirmed running order.
Further reading: Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony DC ↗
The Iwami Kagura profile describes a masked traditional performance art practiced year-round in the Iwami region of Shimane Prefecture and also presented at Kyoto’s Gion Festival. That regional and festival context may help explain the art form’s place in a program about cultural exchange, but the profile does not confirm an appearance at this ceremony.
The Naoya Ogura Band profile describes a six-member group of Japanese jazz musicians active in New York, led by trumpeter, composer and arranger Naoya Ogura. Formed for the 2022 Japan Parade in New York City, the band arranges Japanese melodies as jazz, with repertoire described broadly as spanning traditional songs, 1990s pop and anime themes. That biography is not a setlist for March 20.
The profile for Sayo Komada says she plays both Tsugaru and Nagauta shamisen. She began Tsugaru shamisen at seven and minyo, or Japanese folk songs, at ten; at 15, she won first prize at the ninth Tsugaru Shamisen National Championship. A graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts, she received the professional name Goshi Komada in 2023 from the fourth-generation headmaster of Kineya Gosaburo. The profile also notes performances in Japan and abroad, appearances on NHK, and a Red Hot Chili Peppers cover with more than 18 million views. These details describe her practice and career, not a confirmed 2027 appearance.
Further reading: Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony DC ↗
The ceremony is scheduled for 5–6:30 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D St NW, Washington, DC 20006. The event is listed as indoors. The Festival FAQ notes that 2027 dates are subject to change.
Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony DC ↗ · Cherry Blossom Festival FAQs – Visitor Guide ↗
The listing shows a $5 price and says tickets are sold out. It lists limited day-of standby tickets and instructs people to line up on C Street at 5 p.m.; it gives no standby count or admission rules. The Festival encourages viewers to livestream on its YouTube channel, @CherryBlossFest. For ticket inquiries, the Festival FAQ lists [email protected].
Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony DC ↗ · Cherry Blossom Festival FAQs – Visitor Guide ↗
The event page says the ceremony is wheelchair-accessible, accessible seating is available, ASL interpretation will be provided and service animals are allowed. For specific seating arrangements, it lists [email protected]. The event page lists [email protected] for other accessibility needs; the Festival’s general accessibility guide says requests for accommodations not already in place should be made at least two weeks in advance through [email protected]. For this March 20 event, that is March 6.
Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony DC ↗ · Accessibility at the Cherry Blossom Festival – DC ↗
The Festival FAQ says Opening Ceremony attendees pass through a magnetometer and that larger bags may receive additional screening. It directs attendees to check their ticket for the detailed bag rules.
The ceremony takes place indoors at DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D St NW, Washington, DC 20006. Standby instructions direct people to line up on C Street at 5 p.m.; the event listing does not identify a separate general-admission entrance. Use the map link to calculate directions from your own starting point.
The Festival recommends Metro for most Festival events and links to WMATA’s Trip Planner for routes and schedules; its transportation page does not name a station for this ceremony. It also warns that District parking is limited, especially during the Festival, and recommends considering alternative transportation.
The event page says tickets are sold out and lists limited standby tickets for the day of the ceremony, with a line on C Street at 5 p.m. It does not give a standby count or admission rules. The Festival encourages a livestream on @CherryBlossFest.
The event page names one group of artists in its main description and a different group in its “2027 Performers” section. It gives no explanation or individual set times, so neither list should be treated as definitive.
The event page lists wheelchair access, accessible seating, ASL interpretation and service animals. For specific seating arrangements it gives [email protected]. For accommodations not already in place, the Festival’s general guide requests two weeks’ notice through [email protected]—March 6 for this event. The event page separately lists [email protected] for other accessibility needs.
Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony DC ↗ · Accessibility at the Cherry Blossom Festival – DC ↗
The Festival FAQ says Opening Ceremony attendees pass through a magnetometer and larger bags may receive additional screening. Check the ticket for the detailed bag rules.
The Festival warns that it can be noisy and draw large crowds, and says confetti cannons and/or flashing lights may be used. It suggests headphones or earplugs for people with sensory sensitivities.
1776 D St NW, Washington, DC 20006
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.
Images from the linked sources. Each caption identifies the context of the image.
Event, planning and background information checked 2026-10-31 against the linked sources.