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2012 Japan - U.S. Cherry Blossom Centennial |
History
Flowering cherry trees have been symbols of Japan’s friendship to the people of America for 100 years.
In 1912, over 3,000 cherry trees were gifted from the City of Tokyo to the City of Washington, D.C. as a symbol of lasting friendship from the people of Japan. Since that time, Japanese organizations have made gifts of cherry trees to America to commemorate significant milestones in the relationship between Japan and the United States.
In Southern California, there are many places where you can see flowering cherry trees which were planted by Japanese individuals or Japan-related organizations.
In 2012 there will be twelve cherry blossom festivals in Southern California. We hope for more events in 2012 commemorating the centennial. |
Centennial Initiatives
| The Government of Japan is encouraging organizations to hold commemorative events for the Japan-U.S. Cherry Blossom Centennial. The Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles has outlined three areas of focus for Southern California.
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Planting cherry trees in your community. Procure and plant trees in areas of your city for all to enjoy, for example, city parks. |
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Cherry blossom festivals and commemorative events. |
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Remembering and honoring those who contributed to the propagation and planting of cherry trees in Southern California. In this centennial year, we pay tribute to those who beautified Southern California by propagating and planting cherry trees. We encourage oral histories of gardeners, horticulturalists, and individuals who made significant contributions to Southern California by promoting Japan – U.S. friendship through cherry trees. |
If your organization is planning a commemorative event to celebrate the cherry blossom centennial please inform the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles. You may apply to use the official logo for the Japan – U.S. Cherry Blossom Festival Centennial (top left of this page) for your website, publications, and posters. If so, please download and complete the application.
Sakura Centennial Logo Application Form 
Send event information, completed logo use applications, and inquiries to: press@la-cgjapan.org. |
Cherry Blossom Festivals in Southern California
Information will be updated as soon as dates are set for upcoming Cherry Blossom Festivals. Check back here for the lastest information! |
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February 25 & 26, 2012 |
Arizona Matsuri |
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March 3, 2012 |
South Coast Botanic Gardens Cherry Blossom Picnic Day |
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March 3, 2012 |
Japanese Institute of Sawtelle Cherry Blossom Festival, Stoner Park |
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March 4, 2012 |
City of Torrance Cherry Blossom Festival |
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March 8, 2012 |
El Camino College Cherry Blossom Festival |
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March 17, 2012 |
Cherry Blossom Festival of San Diego |
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March 24 & 25, 2012 |
Descanso Gardens Cherry Blossom Festival |
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March 28, 2012 |
Chapman Universty Cherry Blossom Festival, Orange, CA |
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March 31, 2012 |
City of West Covina Cherry Blossom Festival |
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April 1, 2012 |
Bowers Museum Cherry Blossom Festival |
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April 21 & 22, 2012 |
Monterey Park Cherry Blossom Festival |
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April 22, 2012 |
Pacific Asia Museum Cherry Blossom Festival |
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April 28, 2012 |
Schabarum Park Cherry Blossom Festival |
Tree Plantings and other centennial events
| Tree planting events and other cherry-blossom related events will be posted here. If your organization is planning a com-memorative event to celebrate the cherry blossom centennial, please inform the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles.
Please send information to: press@la-cgjapan.org. |
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December 1, 2011 - January 6, 2012 |
Sakura Manga Poster Contest
$500 scholarship to winner in each category!
Winners selected! |
Computer Generated
Tzu-Yang Huang
Temple City, CA |
Free Hand
Tiana Wright
San Diego, CA |
Co-sponsored by the Japan America Society of Southern California
With support from the Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana and the Japan Foundation Los Angeles.
For more information, contact Ms. Kay Amano: amano@jas-socal.org |
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February 2012 |
Commemorative cherry tree plantings in and around Southern California |
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March 29, 2012 |
Cherry Blossom Tree Planting Dedication & USS Midway Sakura Festival |
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April 13 - 20, 2012 |
Musical: Sakura no Ne: The Root of the Cherry Blossoms
Peoria Center for the Performing Arts
8355 W. Peoria Ave.
Peoria, AZ 85345
(623) 815-7930
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April 20 - September 3, 2012 |
Exhibition: Lessons of the Cherry Blossom
Norton Simon Museum
411 W. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 449-6840 |
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April 27 - May 5, 2012 |
L.A. Bloom -- A New Season
For the centennial year of the cherry trees gifted to the United States from Japan, the JACCC is celebrating its first annual Spring Festival: LA Bloom – a new season, showcasing timeless traditions, contemporary art, culture, performances and community activities. |
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From April 28, 2012
Opening Reception: April 28, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm |
Exhibition: Sakura Art from Roosevelt High School
IGM Art Gallery
USC Keck School of Medicine
2250 Alcazar St.
Los Angeles, CA 90033 |
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May 4, 2012
7:00 – 8:00 pm |
Concert: Mihoto Oka will sing her music composition of sakura waka poems by Motoori Norinaga
Memorial Union Alumni Lounge, Room 202
Arizona State University
699 South Mill Ave.
Tempe, AZ 85281 |
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June 1 - July 31, 2012
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Exhibition:Sakura watercolors by Osama Saito and students
Japan Information & Culture Center Library
Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles
350 S. Grand Ave., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90071 |
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June 29, 2012
7:00 - 8:00 pm
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Concert: Celebrating Sakura: Japanese Music for Clarinet Choir
Los Angeles Clarinet Choir, directed by Margaret Thornhill
Norton Simon Museum
411 West Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91105 |
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July 7, 2012
1:30 pm or 2:30 pm
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Spotlight Talk
Beautiful Women and the Lesson of the Cherry Blossom
Norton Simon Museum
411 West Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 449-6840 |
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July 13 & August 3, 2012
6:00 – 8:00 pm |
Film Screening: Takamine (2011)
This film chronicles the life of Dr. Jokichi Takamine who was integral to the gift of 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, D.C. in 1912.
Norton Simon Museum
411 West Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 449-6840 |
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July 17, 2012
1:30 – 2:30 pm |
Spotlight Talk: Beautiful Women and the Lesson of the Cherry Blossom
Norton Simon Museum
411 West Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 449-6840 |
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August 3, 2012
6:00 - 8:00 pm |
Film Screening: Takamine (2011)
This film chronicles the life of Dr. Jokichi Takamine who was integral to the gift of 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, D.C. in 1912.
Norton Simon Museum
411 West Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 449-6840 |
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August 3, 2012
6:30 – 8:30 pm |
Drawing Class: Breaking Down Tradition
Norton Simon Museum
411 West Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 449-6840 |
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August 10 - 18, 2012
Exhibition Opening: August 12, 2:00 pm |
LANSCA Nagoya - Los Angeles Sakura Children's Art Exhibition
LELA Terakoya Gallery
Little Tokyo Shopping Center
333 S. Alameda St. 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90013
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August 12, 2012
2:00 - 3:00 pm |
Afternoon Salon
Hallmarks of Nature: From Still Life to Cherry Blossom
Norton Simon Museum
411 West Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 449-6840 |
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August 24 - September 30, 2012 |
Exhibition: LANSCA Nagoya - Los Angeles Sakura Children’s Art Exhibition
Japan Information & Culture Center Library
Consulate General of Japan
350 S. Grand Ave., #1700
Los Angeles, CA 9007 |
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August 26, 2012
1:00 - 2:00 pm |
Guided Tour
Lessons of the Cherry Blossom: Understanding Ukiyo-e and its Influence on the Impressionists
Norton Simon Museum
411 West Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 449-6840 |
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November 2, 2012
4:00 - 6:00 pm |
2012 Cherry Blossom Centennial Concer at Grand Park, Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles between Hill St. x Spring St.
(213)617-6700 x330
Consulate General of Japan, LA county, Grand Park, The Japan Fouondation |
Cherry Blossom trees in Southern California
The Trees
In these 100 years of friendship through cherry trees, California has its own stories to remember.
"Pink Cloud" is one of the few varities of cherry trees that do well in the climate of Southern California. This open pollinated variety appeared on the grounds of the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in the 1960s. Japanese American horticul-turalists and gardeners planted it widely. |
"Pink Cloud" cherry blossoms
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Parks with Cherry Blossom Trees in Southern California
| Below is a list of parks in Southern California that have received cherry trees through gifts by Japanese affiliated organizations. |
"Pink Cloud" cherry trees at Lake Balboa, Beilensen Park, Van Nuys, CA
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Beilensen Park (Lake Balboa)
6100 Woodley Ave.
6300 Balboa Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91406 |
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Japanese Friendship Garden
Balboa Park
2215 Pan American Plaza
San Diego, CA 92101 |
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Columbia Park
4045 190th St.
Torrance, CA 90504 |
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Peter F. Schabarum Regional Park
17250 East Colima Road
Rowland Heights, CA 91748 |
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Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Drive
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011 |
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South Coast Botanic Garden
2630 Crenshaw Blvd.
Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274 |
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El Camino College
16007 Crenshaw Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90506 |
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Stoner Park
1835 Stoner Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90025 |
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Garvey Ranch Park
781 S. Orange Ave
Monterey Park, CA 91755
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Victory Park
2575 Paloma St.
Pasadena, CA 91107 |
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Huntington Beach Central Park
18381 Goldenwest St.
Huntington Beach, CA 92648 |
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