Have you ever seen a cherry blossom tree in real life?
If you haven’t seen one yet, you can visit the spring celebration in Washington, D.C., the Cherry Blossom Festival. Commemorating the gifting of 3,000 Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo City to the city of Washington, D.C. on March 27, 1912. This event is the spring’s biggest welcome party filled with food, fun, art, and culture. It’s a 4-week celebration from March 20 to April 13. Today, the Cherry Blossom Festival welcomes more than 1.5 million people to honor the enduring friendship between the United States and Japan. Programs and events that are creative, diverse, and advertise traditional and contemporary arts and culture, natural beauty, and community spirit.
The planting of Cherry trees in Washington originated in 1912, as a gift of friendship to the people of the United States from the people of Japan. In Japan, the flowering cherry tree, or what the Japanese call them “Sakura” is an important flowering plant. It’s a symbol with rich meaning in Japanese culture. To look back in history.
In 1885, Mrs. Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore who on her return to Washington from her first visit to Japan, had approached the United States Army Superintendent of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds with a proposal. One proposal is to plant Japanese cherry trees along the Potomac Riverfront after the renovation. In the next 24 years, Mrs. Scidmore approached every new Superintendent about the proposal.
In 1906, plant explorer and United States Department of Agriculture official, David Fairchild, imported 75 flowering Cherry trees and 25 single-flowered weeping types from the Yokohama Nursery Company in Japan. Dr. Fairchild was planning to test the ability of cherry trees to thrive in the environment near Washington, D.C. He had planted these trees on a hillside on his own property in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The results of his experiment appeared successful.
In 1907, the Fairchilds began promoting Japanese flowering Cherry trees as the ideal planting tree to plant along avenues in the Washington area. On September 26th of that year, arrangements were made with the Chevy Chase Land Company to order 300 cherry trees for the Chevy Chase area.
In 1909, the First Lady Mrs. Taft had lived in Japan and was familiar with the flowering cherry trees. There was a letter sent to the First Lady, offering the Cherry trees. About two days later, she responded by accepting the offer. When Japanese chemist Dr. Jokichi Takamine was told that Washington was to have Japanese cherry trees planted along the speedway, he asked whether Mrs. Taft would accept a donation of an additional 2,000 trees. Dr. Takamine asked the Mayor of Tokyo to support making a gift of cherry trees to the United States. The Mayor accepted the gift making and the First Lady of the United States agreed to accept a donation of 2,000 Cherry trees. On December 10, 1909, 2,000 Cherry trees arrived in Seattle, Washington from Japan.
During the Cherry Blossom Festival there are a multitude of events going on. The opening ceremony, which is a signature event that can be viewed in person or on a live stream. The festival kicks off with a grand fundraiser called the Pink Tie Party. The Blossom Kite Festival, which is presented by Amazon. A nationally broadcasted parade. A free event called Petalpalooza. Cherry Picks, restaurants and the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival.
The Cherry Blossom Festival is a very important festival for those around the world. A beautiful site to view the beautiful pink trees. And celebrate our alliance with Japan.
