Since 1977, the Garden has proudly hosted the Japanese Festival, which now attracts around 50,000 people each Labor Day Weekend. It is widely considered one of the largest and oldest festivals of its kind in the United States.

    The festival results from prolific collaboration between the Missouri Botanical Garden and several Japanese-American organizations in St. Louis. This fruitful partnership provides an authentic experience highlighting Japanese music, art, dance, food and entertainment throughout the Garden.

    With sumo wrestling, martial arts demonstrations, origami demonstrations, storytellers and dance performances, as well as an expansive food court, unique souvenirs and merchandise and candlelight walks in the Japanese Garden - the Japanese Festival offers a one-of-a kind Labor Day Weekend in St. Louis.

What’s in Bloom

There are plenty of beautiful and awe-inspiring sites on and off stage during the Japanese Festival.  Keep an eye out for blooming asters, Garden phlox, waterlilies and sunflowers during this time.