The season has come again around the end of March and beginning April where little buds begin to appear and the sun comes out of hiding. In Japan, the biggest staple piece that announces spring is here are the cherry blossoms. In Japan, cherry blossoms are called sakura (桜). Most affiliate the cherry blossoms to Japan due to big festivals that occur revolving these trees and the excitement that comes with it. In fact, there are celebrations called Hanami that are celebrations solely held for the blooming of cherry blossoms. People gather under blooming cherry blossoms with food and friends to appreciate the beauty of the sakuras.
Many may not know the history and importance of cherry blossoms in Japan. They have been long embedded in Japanese history and are thought to have ties to the Buddhist religion with a symbolization for human life, transience, and nobleness. There are art pieces dating back to the 1700s of people viewing the cherry blossoms bloom and appreciating their beauty. A famously known piece ‘s hanami party scene. As mentioned before, this is depicting a “watch” party for cherry blossoms that are still common today.
Many Americans are aware of these cheery pink flowers due to the renown cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. They are not natives in the nation’s capital so how did these flowers make their way to D.C.?
Mrs. Eliza Scidmore, a journalist, photographer, and traveler, traveled around Asia and eventually to Japan discovering cherry blossoms. She was taken aback by the beauty of them. In 1885, Scidmore went to the U.S. Army Superintendent of the Office of Public Building and Grounds proposing to bring the cherry trees to the Potomac waterfront. For the next 24 years Scidmore makes efforts to bring cherry blossoms to D.C. approaching every new superintendent. After some years, in 1909 Mrs. Scidmore continues to work hard for the purchase of cherry blossoms sending a letter to the new first lady, Helen Herron Taft.
Mrs. Taft had been to Japan and seen the beautiful cherry blossoms. She agreed to make efforts to bring them to D.C. and coordinated with Scidmore throughout the process. Around that time, Dr. Jokichi Takamine, a Japanese chemist who discovered adrenanline and takadiastase was in D.C. with Mr. Midzuno a Japanese consul in New York. They heard about the idea of getting the trees and made donations to Mrs. Taft to plant an additonal two thousand trees. They agreed that this would be a gift from the City of Tokyo, Japan.
After many years, Scidmore succeeded. Throughout the years, the cherry blossoms have endured lots from several being burned due to a bug infestation, women chaining themsleves to stopping the construction Thomas Jefferson Memorial which would cause the tearing down of the trees, a festival, a pageant, etc. The cherry blossoms were a representation of peace between Japan and the U.S. and in warring times the tension was also reflected through the cherry blossoms with four cherry trees being cut down in retaliation to Pearl Harbor on December 11th. This caused the need to address the trees as the “Oriental” Flowering cherry trees.
“Washington, DC at the Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial during the spring cherry blossom season.”
They still stand today and have survived the history between Japan and the U.S. in both times of peace and war. They continue to be a symbolism of Japan and all that encompass the country including their tradition, culture, and history.
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/history-of-the-cherry-trees.htm
https://washington.org/dc-guide-to/national-cherry-blossom-festival
https://jetfarer.com/cherry-blossoms-in-washington-dc/