People stroll beneath the cherry blossoms during the Sakura Spring Festival at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Jeremy Stillwagner/Stars and Stripes)

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — The home of U.S. Forces Japan welcomed more than 5,000 people to its annual Sakura Spring Festival over the weekend.

The cherry blossom, or sakura, festival on Saturday featured games, live music and a variety of stalls selling everything from food to Yokota-branded merchandise.

The spring festival is one of the few times each year that Yokota opens part of the base to its Japanese neighbors, providing an opportunity for the two communities to interact.

A street performer entertains the crowd during the Sakura Spring Festival at Yokota Air Base, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Jeremy Stillwagner/Stars and Stripes)

The Sakura Spring Festival gets underway on the east side of Yokota Air Base, Japan, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Jeremy Stillwagner/Stars and Stripes)

The Sakura Spring Festival drew thousands of people to the east side of Yokota Air Base, Japan, Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Jeremy Stillwagner/Stars and Stripes)

“I would like to thank all of you for coming out today,” Col. Andrew Roddan, commander of Yokota’s 374th Airlift Wing, said in a speech at the event. “This is an absolutely fantastic way for us to share a little bit of our base and our beautiful sakura trees.”

Chilly, rainy March weather delayed the blossoms beyond this year’s March 22 peak forecast. A timely spike in sunshine and warmth yielded sufficient color to draw massive crowds to parks across the Tokyo metro area over the weekend for picnicking and flower viewing.

Yokota was no exception, though the day itself was overcast.

The base’s trees were in full bloom the day the festival was held beneath a picturesque row of blooming, ornamental cherry trees lining a broad avenue on Yokota’s east side.