One bright cherry blossom can create a whole warm feeling of spring in the air.
Sakura…There is something magical about this little pink flower that symbolizes the time when everything is awakening, step by step, blossom by blossom, into the spirit of spring.
? By Tomas Williams
A few months ago, I attended this festival to revisit my childhood memory.
? By My Mother (when I was 14 years old)
Can you imagine a festival celebrating this magical moment, full of joy? Yes, it exists – it is called the Cherry Blossom Festival, and it takes place everywhere, especially in Washington, D.C.
As a little girl full of dreams, I was often invited as a guest singer to perform at these venues. I remember the excitement before every show. There is no feeling like this. I still remember the amazing smell of the beautiful flowers, joyous crowd, and my root of traditions shared with the people from all parts of the world.
? By Urata Sensei (when I was about 12 years old before a performance)
? By My Mother (when I was 14 years old)
When and how it all started? This tradition commenced on March 27, 1912, when the first Japanese cherry tree was given as a gift from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo City to the city of Washington, D.C. By 1915 more than 3000 cherry blossom trees were planted in the same area, in Washington, D.C. A present of friendship to the People of the United States from the People of Japan, it connects the two cultures, so different, yet so similar.
The flowering cherry tree, Sakura is an exalted flowering plant that opens its buds, creating an unforgettable sea of pink and white all over the place. The national flower of Japan is the best gift that one nation could have given to another. This is more than a century-old tradition which represents the close relationship between the United States and Japan, described by one of the nation’s most celebrated spring-time events.
? By Candle Science