Cherry blossom season has arrived, running from March 20 through April 13. The blossoms — which are a spectacle of beauty and history — reach full bloom for only a few short days.
The dates of the peak bloom depend on weather conditions — this year it is expected on March 28, according to the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
For those who can’t make it to the Washington DC Cherry Blossom Festival in person, live footage of the blossoms’ fleeting beauty is available via the cherry blossom webcam. To many, these delicate flowers mark the arrival of spring and serve as a reminder of new beginnings.
Significance of cherry blossoms
In Japan, cherry blossoms are called sakura and are a very sacred flower for the people, according to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
The blossoms are a symbol of renewal and the fragile and fugitive nature of life, as the blossoms lifespan is only two weeks before they fall.
Unlike America, whose school year begins in the fall, Japan’s school year starts in April, which is “the season of sakura,” according to Smithsonian Folklife Festival. They believe the blossoms are welcoming them to a new year of ambitions.
For at least a thousand years, during the lifespan of the blossoms, people in Japan gather for festivals and community parties where they eat, drink and celebrate beneath the trees. The custom is called “hanami” which means, “watching blossoms,” per the article.
History of the cherry blossom trees in DC
The famous cherry trees in Washington DC were planted in 1912, as a gift from Japan. Even today, the Japanese government is involved in the care and celebrations that involve the 3,000 trees gifted, according to National Park Service.
The gift of cherry blossom trees from Yokohama, Japan to the United States was not a decision made overnight. It wasn’t the work of a single person either. The exchange unfolded over many years of conversations.
The delicate blooms are the result of a team effort, a reflection of history and the steady effort of two nations coming together to bring the beauty of Japan to the U.S.
It all began in 1885 with Mrs. Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore, a world traveler, writer, and diplomat who had recently returned to America after traveling in Japan.
It was on that trip that she had the idea to bring the precious blossoms to the United States. She proposed her idea to the U.S. Army Superintendent of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, but never heard back per the article.
Scidmore didn’t stop there. She spent the next 24 years advocating for her idea.
It wasn’t until years later, and with the support of a few more people who believed the cherry blossom trees would enhance Washington DC, that action finally began. First Lady Helen H. Taft set the wheels into motion.
In 1909, Japan and America shook hands over the gift of 2,000 cherry blossom trees. But when the trees arrived and were planted, they found they were infested with bugs and disease. The trees had to be burned.
When Japan heard the news, they felt it was only right to send new trees. This time they sent 3,000 trees of 12 different varieties.
This year marks the 113 anniversary of the gift of the cherry blossom trees, a symbol of friendship between two nations.
History of the cherry blossom trees in Utah
The cherry blossom trees in Washington D.C. weren’t Japans' only gift. After World War II Japan also gifted Utah with cherry blossoms as a symbol of friendship, according to ABC 4 News.
The first trees were planted in 1931, with another batch planted in 1945. Though, the trees we admire today are not the originals.
A tornado in 1999 damaged many, and others had reached the end of their lifespan.
A project between 2004-2008 replaced the trees with new cherry blossoms grown in Portland, Oregon, per the article.
