Transcript The Cherry Blossoms: Marking the Beginning of Spring

What is the Cherry Blossom?
• The Sakura tree, Japanese for
“Cherry Blossom”, represents the
short-lived beauty and nature of life
• The trees are found around the
Himalayas and in east Asia such as China, Korea and
Japan
• Japan has over 305 species of Cherry Blossoms
• When in bloom, the trees look white from nearly top to
bottom
• Its flowers are nearly pure white, tinged with the palest
pink, especially near the stem. The flowers bloom, and
usually fall within a week, before the leaves come out.
The History of the Cherry Blossoms
in Washington D.C.
• The 3000 trees given to the U.S. in 1912
were a gift from Yukio Ozaki, the mayor of
Tokyo, symbolizing the close relationship between the
U.S. and Japan
• On March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Herron Taft and
Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador,
planted the first two of these trees on the north bank of
the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park
• In 1965, First Lady Lady Bird Johnson accepted an
additional 3,800 more trees from Japan
• Today, the famous trees signal the coming of spring with
an explosion of life and color surrounding the Tidal Basin
portion of the West Potomac Park in a sea of pale pink
and white
The Cherry Blossom Festival
• The Festival is held between March 31st
and April 15th
• Over ONE MILLION people visit
Washington D.C. each year to admire the
blossoming cherry trees
• The Festival is comprised of:
– Parades
– Street Festivals
– Performances
What the Festival Has to Offer
• The Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run
– Held on the first Sunday in April
• Cherry Blossom Soccer
– Co-ed, 7v7 teams from the Washington, DC,
metropolitan area compete for the Cherry Blossom
Cup on the Mall
• River Blossoms Tours
– Get to view 3000 cherry blossoms from
the water
• Tidal Basin Paddle Boating
• National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade
– Held on the last Saturday of the Festival
Want More Information?
• Visit the National Cherry Blossom Festival
Website:
– http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
• Contact the Festival Hotline:
(202) 547-1500
• ASK AROUND!