Sakura: Beautiful Flowering Trees of Japan
The spring season anywhere in the world signifies a time of refreshed renewal. The month of April is the heart of springtime in Japan. Sakura (cherry blossom), the country’s national flower, blooms as quickly as it disappears, symbolizing the fleeting impermanence of the nature of life. Since ancient times, cherry blossom viewings in Japan were an important part of cultural tradition, celebrating Spring’s arrival together with family members. The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival held in Washington D.C. every spring commemorates the 1912 gift to the city of Washington of 3,000 cherry trees from then Mayor of Tokyo, Yukio Ozaki, as a symbol of friendship between the United States and Japan. Today, there are more than 3,700 cherry trees near the Washington Monument grounds, the most number of cherry trees concentrated in one area throughout the United States (according to the National Parks Service). The thousands of cherry blossom trees that have been sent from Japan to the U.S. symbolize the genuine friendship between the two countries. It also symbolizes the rising importance of cultural exchange given the interconnectedness of the world today. Have you ever attended a cherry blossom viewing or festival? If so, where? Read the Japanese American National Museum Store’s online article and share your cherry blossom stories below. Also, see a collection of photographs of cherry blossom trees in the Nikkei Album. Go to Nikkei Album --Editor, Discover Nikkei Museum Store Online Article, “Sakura: Beautiful Flowering Trees of Japan” |
