Summary:
Note: Click the photos for a larger image.
I'm not easily moved by things, but this festival is absolutely wonderful. The thousands of trees with pink and white blossoms is a site to behold.

There's also a small garden of tulips in bright yellows, reds, and oranges.

This year, 2006, the Cherry Festival runs through April 9th with the trees expected to peak the weekend of April 1-2.

Their are a variety of events with fireworks on April 1 and a parade on April 8 with the street festival following.

And I, not thinking, didn't take photos to create a 360° virtual tour. <sigh> I guess I'll just have to go back next year.

Though next time I won't drive.

History:
The plantings of cherry trees originated in 1912 as gift of friendship to the United States from the people of Japan.

The original donation consisted of a variety of flowering cherry trees:

"Somei-Yoshino" ........................................1,800
"Ari-ake"........................................................100
"Fugen-zo".....................................................120
"Fuku-roku-ju".................................................50
"Gyo-i-ko".......................................................20
"Ichiyo"...........................................................160
"Jo­nioi"............................................................80
"Kwan-zan".....................................................350
"Mikuruma­gayeshi"...........................................20
"Shira-yuki"......................................................130
"Surugadai­nioi".................................................50
"Taki­nioi"........................................................140
Total............................................................3,020

The Gyoiko were all planted on the White House Grounds

The first two trees planted were Yoshino cherry trees, which are standing to this day.

The first Cherry Blossom Festival occured in 1935. It has continued to be celebrated and grown with events added on a continuing basis.

A beauty pageant was added in 1948 with all states sending a representative..

In 1954 a stone lantern was donated by the then Japanese Ambassador Sadao Iguchi. The lantern is 8 feet high and weighs 20 tons. It's over 300 years old, but I don't think granite either improves or withers with age. Since then the Festival is started by the lighting of the lantern. You can see a photo of the lantern and an adjacent stand and runway on the photo tour pages.

The lantern is on the east bank of the tidal basin. In 1958 a stone pagoda was donated by the Mayor of Yokohama and placed on the west bank, which is near today's Franklin Roosevelt Memorial.

Since then the Festival has been lengthened to two weeks and trees have both been planted and cut to use as starters in other locations, to preserve the genetic material, and to re-introduce the trees to parts of Japan where the trees were damaged.

Activities:
Activities include a the official opening, a parade, fireworks, dining, river boat tours, daily performances of a variety of performing and musical artists, the Sakura Matsuri--Japanese Street Festival, and a variety of private events. See the Cherry Festival site for a current list of events.

Area Attractions:
See our attractions page for a full list.

Food & Sundries:
There are ice cream vendors with ices and other cold treats around the area. There are a variety of local restaurants, especially just east of the basin. For an unusual treat, just under the I-395 bridge there's a fish market where you can get deep-fried and steamed crab.

Directions:
I highly recommend taking a tour or the Metro to the 1200 Independence Ave Station. You can try coming in on I-395, but good luck on finding parking.

Commercial:

Notes: