Saturday, April 2, 2011
Commemorating Portland's Rich Heritage: On April 3, Portland joins an elite brotherhood of...
Commemorating Portland's Rich Heritage: On April 3, Portland joins an elite brotherhood of...: "The coming of spring in the United States brings out Cherry Blossom (Sakura)Festivals in many cities and communities..and this year I can ha..."
On April 3, Portland joins an elite brotherhood of cities celebrating the Cherry Blossom Festival
The coming of spring in the United States brings out Cherry Blossom (Sakura)Festivals in many cities and communities..and this year I can hardly wait to experience this "rite of Spring" in my own back yard. The first ever Sakura Sunday is being staged in Portland on Sunday, April 3, this year, and I'm planning to invite family and friends to spread out our picnic blankets under the blossoming trees, enjoy our bento box lunches and indulge in a little "hanami" or blossom-watching activities while basking in the vernal sun.
A decade has passed since I had first encountered the intoxicating beauty of the National Cherry Blossom Festival back in Washington D.C.; but now that the Japanese American Society of Oregon is inaugurating the custom here in Portland...the "grass is no longer greener..." I'm staying in Portland and lending my full support to a home-grown tradition. I've already been to the Japanese American Historical Plaza in Waterfront Park last week to scout out the little budding beauties just before the final flowering and composed a two minute paean that I posted on You Tube entitled "Sakura Sunday is coming..."
The national history of this "bridging cultures" spring tradition goes back almost a century, when a shipment of 3020 cherry trees donated from the city of Tokyo were sent to America and were duly inspected by the Department of Agriculture upon arrived in the port of Seattle on February 14, 1912 where they were subsequently sent in railcars to D.C. The trees were planted around the Tidal Basin and were seen as a living testament to the growing friendship between the United States and Japan.
The First Lady and the wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two trees on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park in a special ceremony on March 27, 1912. The planting of the remaining trees took place over the next seven years, and tourists and cityfolk came out to informally partake of the beauty presented by these trees each spring until the official festival was inaugurated in 1934 as a 3-day welcoming party marking the official beginning of spring.
In addition to the National Cherry Blossom Festival being held for two weeks in April in Washington D.C., festivals are also taking place in San Francisco, Seattle, Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; and other locations. The theme this year is, of course, for tsunami relief. Donations and the purchase of specially ordered Bento Boxes will help to raise disaster relief funds for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
Although this is the first year for Portland's staging of an "official" Cherry Blossom or "hanami" (flower-viewing); the city has been active over the years in the Cherry Blossom Princess and U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen program started by the National Conference of State Societies in 1948, as Oregon annually sends a representative to participate in this program. With all of the activities, and the promise of a large turnout, it would be best to arrive early as the festivities extend from noon to 3 pm and Portland Taiko will be performing. This event is free and open to the public.
Sakura Sunday/ Cherry Blossom Festival
at the Japanese American Historical Plaza
NW Couch Street and Naito Parkway
Free and open to the public
A decade has passed since I had first encountered the intoxicating beauty of the National Cherry Blossom Festival back in Washington D.C.; but now that the Japanese American Society of Oregon is inaugurating the custom here in Portland...the "grass is no longer greener..." I'm staying in Portland and lending my full support to a home-grown tradition. I've already been to the Japanese American Historical Plaza in Waterfront Park last week to scout out the little budding beauties just before the final flowering and composed a two minute paean that I posted on You Tube entitled "Sakura Sunday is coming..."
The national history of this "bridging cultures" spring tradition goes back almost a century, when a shipment of 3020 cherry trees donated from the city of Tokyo were sent to America and were duly inspected by the Department of Agriculture upon arrived in the port of Seattle on February 14, 1912 where they were subsequently sent in railcars to D.C. The trees were planted around the Tidal Basin and were seen as a living testament to the growing friendship between the United States and Japan.
The First Lady and the wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two trees on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park in a special ceremony on March 27, 1912. The planting of the remaining trees took place over the next seven years, and tourists and cityfolk came out to informally partake of the beauty presented by these trees each spring until the official festival was inaugurated in 1934 as a 3-day welcoming party marking the official beginning of spring.
In addition to the National Cherry Blossom Festival being held for two weeks in April in Washington D.C., festivals are also taking place in San Francisco, Seattle, Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; and other locations. The theme this year is, of course, for tsunami relief. Donations and the purchase of specially ordered Bento Boxes will help to raise disaster relief funds for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
Although this is the first year for Portland's staging of an "official" Cherry Blossom or "hanami" (flower-viewing); the city has been active over the years in the Cherry Blossom Princess and U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen program started by the National Conference of State Societies in 1948, as Oregon annually sends a representative to participate in this program. With all of the activities, and the promise of a large turnout, it would be best to arrive early as the festivities extend from noon to 3 pm and Portland Taiko will be performing. This event is free and open to the public.
Sakura Sunday/ Cherry Blossom Festival
at the Japanese American Historical Plaza
NW Couch Street and Naito Parkway
Free and open to the public
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