Volunteers carry the Taru Mikoshi (樽神輿), a traditional portable shrine, down the streets of San Francisco as the final part of the Cherry Blossom Festival’s Grand Parade. Weighing over 1,000 pounds, over 100 volunteers are needed to parade the shrine across five city blocks starting at the Civic Center Plaza and ending in Japantown.

Japantown’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco traditionally takes place over two weekends in April and coincides with the cherry blossoms’ typical blooming period.

Elementary schoolers carry a miniature version of Taru Mikoshi down the streets of Japantown during the Grand Parade.

Cosplayers dressed as fictional characters parade down the streets.

Hello Kitty, a fictional Japanese cartoon character, waves to the crowds. Hello Kitty is an emblematic figure of Japanese “kawaii” culture.

A person waves around Koinobori (鯉のぼり), a carp-shaped windsock.

Boy Scouts carry a giant replica of a Daruma doll, which traditionally symbolizes good luck in Japanese culture.

Many festival-goers brought their Shiba Inus, a breed of dog native to Japan. Some dogs, such as the one pictured, were dressed in traditional Japanese clothing.

Imported cars from Japan drive down the streets.

A woman dressed in a kimono, a traditional Japanese garment, dances with a parasol.

A dance group parades down the streets, participating in traditional Japanese dance.

People perform Eisa (エイサー), a form of folk dance originating from the Okinawan Islands.