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.
- Planting cherry trees in your community. Procure and plant trees in areas of your city for all to enjoy, for example, city parks.
- Cherry blossom festivals and commemorative events.
- 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!
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| March 31, 2012 | City of West Covina Cherry Blossom Festival |
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| April 1, 2012 | Bowers Museum Cherry Blossom Festival | |
| April 21 & 22, 2012 | Monterey Park Cherry Blossom Festival | |
| 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 |
$500 scholarship to winner in each category! Winners selected! |
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Computer Generated Tzu-Yang Huang Temple City, CA |
Free Hand Tiana Wright San Diego, CA |
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Co-sponsored by the Japan America Society of Southern California 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 |
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April 20 - September 3, 2012 |
Exhibition: Lessons of the Cherry Blossom Norton Simon Museum |
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April 27 - May 5, 2012 |
L.A. Bloom -- A New Season |
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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 |
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May 4, 2012 7:00 – 8:00 pm |
Concert |
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June 1 - July 31, 2012
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Exhibition:Sakura watercolors by Osama Saito and students |
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June 29, 2012
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Concert: Celebrating Sakura: Japanese Music for Clarinet Choir Norton Simon Museum |
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July 7, 2012
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Spotlight Talk Norton Simon Museum |
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July 13 & August 3, 2012 |
Film Screening: Takamine (2011) |
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July 17, 2012 |
Spotlight Talk: Beautiful Women and the Lesson of the Cherry Blossom |
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August 3, 2012 6:00 - 8:00 pm |
Film Screening: Takamine (2011) |
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August 3, 2012 6:30 – 8:30 pm |
Drawing Class: Breaking Down Tradition |
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August 10 - 18, 2012 Exhibition Opening: August 12, 2:00 pm |
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August 12, 2012 2:00 - 3:00 pm |
Afternoon Salon Norton Simon Museum |
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August 24 - September 30, 2012 |
Exhibition: LANSCA Nagoya - Los Angeles Sakura Children’s Art Exhibition Japan Information & Culture Center Library |
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August 26, 2012 1:00 - 2:00 pm |
Guided Tour Norton Simon Museum |
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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. |
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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.
■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.
| Beilensen Park (Lake Balboa) 6100 Woodley Ave. 6300 Balboa Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91406 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Stoner Park 1835 Stoner Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90025 |
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| Garvey Ranch Park 781 S. Orange Ave Monterey Park, CA 91755 |
Victory Park 2575 Paloma St. Pasadena, CA 91107 |
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| Huntington Beach Central Park 18381 Goldenwest St. Huntington Beach, CA 92648 |
