Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Photos: The Best Cosplayers From Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Sakura Matsuri Festival
By
Ben Yakas
Published May 1, 2016
Modified May 1, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
View all 42
By
Ben Yakas
Published May 1, 2016
Modified May 1, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
This weekend marked the annual Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Sakura Matsuri festival, which celebrates blossoming cherry trees and even more colorful cosplayers who don elaborate, sometimes other-worldly outfits and happily pose for pictures.
Photographer Sai Mokhtari, who took the gorgeous shots above, said that the perfect weather on Saturday brought in the crowds to the "strange and surreal" fest. There were long lines winding around the block as of 2 p.m., but it didn't hurt the great vibes: "Any time I photograph people in costume in this city my heart swells with love," she said. "I can't think of a better place for dressing up than the Botanic Gardens—just surreal." She added that only about 20 percent of the people there were dressed up, "but you don't really see/notice the people that aren't in costume. They just kind of blend into the background, so it feels like everyone is in costume."
And since today's grey, wet weather might turn a lot of people off from heading down there today, you can get a dose of spring weather via your computer screen, and watch a video last year's festivities below:
Tagged
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
cherry blossom
cherry tree
cosplay
sakura matsuri
original
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
Spoiler alert: It's still 26.2 miles.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Oct 14, 2026 at 2:36 p.m. ET
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
"Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger," says the co-owner of Art of Play.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
"Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger," says the co-owner of Art of Play.
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
By
James Ramsay
What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.
By
Jayson Greene
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .