Kandai Sakura Festival

### Significance

Fusion of Christmas and the Japanese cherry blossom flower viewing festivals (hanami).

### Celebrations

Flower viewings, Christmas tree viewings, spring vibes, feasting

### Related to

Hanami
Christmas and holiday season

The **Kandai Artificial Sakura Festival** (Japanese: 神台桜祭 *Kandai Sakura Matsuri)*, doing business as **Kandai Sakura Festival** and also known as the **Kandai Hanami Festival** is an annual artificial cherry blossom festival usually celebrated during the Christmas season from the second Friday of November to January 10 in Kandai Park in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is organized for locals and tourists alike to see the at least cherry blossoms (sakura) during the Christmas season as the flowers do not bloom until late March or early April. It is one of the largest artificial cherry blossom festivals. The other is the Okuda Sakura Festival, also in Fujisawa.

## Tourists

About 700,000 visitors come between November 22 and December 22 and around 1,000,000-1,400,000 visitors between December 23 and January 3. It has more visitors compared to the actual cherry blossom festivals in late March and early April, which have about 500,000 visitors.

## Economy

December has the biggest economy hit in Fujisawa and the Kanagawa Prefecture as the Kandai Sakura Festival has a total gross of about 100,000,000 USD due to its huge visitors towards the cherry blossom festival.

## Cuisine

Traditional Japanese spring food and other Japanese cuisine, are mostly served in the festival. Christmas, western and other Asian food are also served here in the festival but not as much compared to the Japanese cuisine. The price is between 500 and 2500 yen, making it a good budget for visitors in the festival.

During the festival, sakura and matcha-flavoured Kitkat and other sakura-inspired snacks are commonly sold in the festival and is discounted to 40% from the normal price. All vending machines in the park will install sakura-flavoured drinks starting November 1 and will last up until few days after January 10.

However, on December 25, Christmas day, is a bargain day for the KitKat as they offer 75% discount from the original price and offer 2 and 5 12-pcs boxes of KitKat for a lower price combined from the original combination. The offer is only valid from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM (19:00 to 23:00) on that day. This offer is considered to be their Christmas gift.

## Concerts and other special events

Every Saturdays, Labour Thanksgiving Day and between December 23 and January 3, concerts and other big events happen in the festival.

In 2013, Philippine media and entertainment company, ABS-CBN Corporation through its subsidiaries ABS-CBN International (The Filipino Channel), ABS-CBN Global, ABS-CBN Regional and in partnership with the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Embassy in Japan, FilCom Japan and the prefectural government of Kanagawa in Japan, organizes a big festival called Kapamilya Fiesta World. It focuses on the Filipino communities in Japan and usually happens on a Saturday between December 16 and 22. However, despite the principal focus, everyone is welcome. Many Filipino celebrities from ABS-CBN, and other Japanese idols join for a fantastic celebration.

### Notable events

* Kapamilya Fiesta World Japan @ Kandai Sakura Festival (Saturday between December 16 and 22, since 2013)

## Opening hours

The festival is opened everyday from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM (07:00 to 23:00) daily from the second Friday of November to January 10 with exceptions.

November 22 (- 23 if the 22nd will fall from Thursday or Friday), December 23 - 25, 29 - 30, and January 1 - 3, the festival is opened until 12:00 MN (24:00) and on December 31 for the Omisoka until 1:00 AM (01:00).

In 2023-2024, the festival was from November 10, 2023 to January 10, 2024.

## Admission

The admission is free of charge and anyone is welcome to visit the festival.