U.S., Japan friendship flourishes during rainy Sakura Festival

Yokota community members with umbrellas pose for a photo.

Yokota community members pose for a photo during the Sakura Spring Festival at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 29, 2025. The festival was open to the local communities as an opportunity to visit Yokota Air Base and view the cherry blossoms in bloom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Samantha White)

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --Team Yokota welcomed the off-base community to the Sakura Spring Festival at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 29.

The festival is a long-standing tradition of celebrating the arrival of spring and the strong ties between Yokota Air Base and the local community. “I would like to offer a special thank you to our distinguished visitors who have taken the time to join us,” said Col. Richard McElhaney, 374 Airlift Wing commander. “Though the weather predicts itself, we can only control what we can control. Everything within our control has been fantastic,” This year’s festival was the first for Col. McElhaney and Col. Yuichi Hosokawa, Japan Air Self-Defense Operational Support Wing commander.

Approximately 5,000 people attended the festival to enjoy a celebration of Japanese and American cultures through food vendors, live music, dance performances, and a farmers’ market. “This event is a great opportunity for us to deepen our ties and mutual understanding between the locals,” said Col. Hosokawa.

Yokota Air Base