After a year of waiting, the sakura are finally blooming again in São Paulo! In July and August, the public will be able to attend the 2026 Parque do Carmo Cherry Blossom Festival, which brings hanami — the Japanese custom of admiring flowers —to the capital of São Paulo.
This will be the 46th edition of the event, which is currently one of the greatest symbols of the Japanese-Brazilian community in the city. With free admission, the cherry blossom festival offers São Paulo residents the chance to experience an authentically Japanese festival, featuring free performances, traditional cuisine, and the opportunity to enjoy a rare natural spectacle.
How about having a picnic in the shade of the cherry trees?
Sakura are ornamental cherry trees that, although they do not bear fruit, attract attention for their delicate pink blossoms that bloom once a year. Native to Japan, they arrived at Parque do Carmo thanks to Hisayoshi Kataoka, an immigrant who brought 1,500 saplings from his homeland in 1978.
Currently, São Paulo is the Brazilian state with the largest number of cherry blossom groves. Parque do Carmo is the largest of these, also holding the title of second-largest outside of Japan. There are more than 4,000 trees, representing the strength and presence of the Japanese community in the history of the metropolis.
Every year, thousands of São Paulo residents and tourists head to Parque do Carmo to enjoy the blooming flowers. It’s the perfect opportunity to breathe in the fresh air, have a picnic, and take in the enchanting scenery of one of the largest parks in the city of São Paulo.
Parque do Carmo Cherry Blossom Festival 2026
Also known as Sakura Matsuri, the Cherry Blossom Festival offers a packed program that goes beyond simply admiring the flowers. There will be a food court featuring Asian delicacies, musical performances, Japanese folk dances, and taiko groups—the famous Japanese drums.
This year, the program coincides with the 6th “Tanabata Matsuri” Festival of the Stars, another traditional celebration from the Land of the Rising Sun. So you can also take advantage of the event to write your wishes on small pieces of paper and then burn them—a tradition meant to send them to the heavens.
📍 Where: Parque do Carmo — Avenida Afonso de Sampaio e Souza, 951 – Itaquera
📆When: July 24, 25, 26, and 31; August 1 and 2, 2026
🕰️ Hours: Fridays , 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
🎟️ Price: Free admission
🌸 More information: Check out the Parque do Carmo Cherry Blossom Festival’s social media pages
