Philippines
A province in Western Philippines, Palawan, serves as home to an endemic Palawan Cherry Blossoms, which appears to resemble that of Japan's, thus the name.
Canada
Vancouver, BC is famous for its thousands of cherry blossom trees lining many streets and in many parks, including Queen Elizabeth Park and Stanley Park. Vancouver holds the annual Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival every year. [1] High Park in Toronto, ON features many Somei-Yoshino cherry trees (the earliest species to bloom and much loved by the Japanese for their fluffy white flowers) that were given to Toronto by Japan in 1959.
Through the Sakura Project, the Japanese Embassy donated a further 34 cherry trees to High Park in 2001, plus cherry trees to various other locations like Exhibition Place, McMaster University and the University of Toronto's main and Scarborough campuses.
United States
Sakura in Washington, D.C.
Japan gave 3,020 sakura trees as a gift to the United States in 1912 to celebrate the nations' then-growing friendship[11]. These trees were planted in Sakura Park in Manhattan and famously line the shore of the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (see West Potomac Park), and the gift was renewed with another 3,800 trees in 1965. The sakura trees continue to be a popular tourist attraction (and the subject of the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival) when they reach full bloom in early spring.
Also, Balboa Park of Los Angeles has 2,000 sakura trees that blossom in mid to late March. The trees are located on Balboa Boulevard in Van Nuys. Philadelphia is also home to over 2000 flowering Japanese cherry trees, half of which were a gift from the Japanese government in 1926 in honor of the 150th anniversary of American independence, with the other half planted by the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia between 1998 and 2007. Philadelphia's sakura are located within Fairmount Park, and the annual two-week Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia celebrates the blooming trees. The University of Washington in Seattle also has cherry blossoms in its Quad.
Sakura in Newark, New Jersey
Other US cities have an annual Cherry Blossom Festival (or Sakura Matsuri), including the International Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon, Georgia, which features over 300,000 cherry trees. Belleville, Bloomfield, and Newark, New Jersey celebrate the annual Branch Brook Park Cherry Blossom Festival in April, which attracts thousands of visitors from the local area and Korea, Japan and India. Branch Brook Park will soon have more flowering cherry trees than Washington, D.C., thanks to an ongoing replanting program. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York City also has a large, well-attended festival.
Germany
The cherry blossom is a major tourist attraction in Germany's Altes Land orchard region.
Great Britain
Batsford Arboretum holds the national collection of Japanese village cherries, sato-sakura group. [2]
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
History
Sakura (Japanese kanji : 桜 or 櫻; hiragana: さくら) is the Japanese name for cherry trees and their blossoms. In English, the word "sakura" is equivalent to the Japanese flowering cherry,[1] and their blossoms are commonly called cherry blossoms. Cherry fruit (known in Japanese as sakuranbo) comes from another species of tree.
Sakura is indigenous to many Asian states including:Japan, China, India and Korea. Japan has a wide variety of sakura; well over 200 cultivars can be found there.[2]
During the Heian Period (794–1191), Japanese sought to emulate many practices from China,[citation needed] including the social phenomenon of flower viewing (hanami: 花見), where the imperial households, poets, singers and other aristocrats would gather and celebrate under the blossoms.
In Japan, cherry trees were planted and cultivated for their beauty, for the adornment of the grounds of the nobility of Kyoto, at least as early as 794.[3] In China, the ume "plum" tree (actually a species of apricot) was held in highest regard, but by the middle of the ninth century, the sakura had replaced the plum as the favored species in Japan.[citation needed]
Painting of Mount Fuji and sakura.
Every year the Japanese Meteorological Agency and the public track the sakura zensen (cherry-blossom front) as it moves northward up the archipelago with the approach of warmer weather via nightly forecasts following the weather segment of news programs.
The blossoming begins in Okinawa in January and typically reaches Kyoto and Tokyo at the end of March or the beginning of April. It proceeds into areas at the higher altitudes and northward, arriving in Hokkaidō a few weeks later. Japanese pay close attention to these forecasts and turn out in large numbers at parks, shrines, and temples with family and friends to hold flower-viewing parties.
Hanami festivals celebrate the beauty of the sakura and for many are a chance to relax and enjoy the beautiful view. The custom of hanami dates back many centuries in Japan: the eighth-century chronicle Nihon Shoki (日本書紀) records hanami festivals being held as early as the third century CE.
Most Japanese schools and public buildings have sakura trees outside of them. Since the fiscal and school year both begin in April, in many parts of Honshū, the first day of work or school coincides with the cherry blossom season.
Sakura is indigenous to many Asian states including:Japan, China, India and Korea. Japan has a wide variety of sakura; well over 200 cultivars can be found there.[2]
During the Heian Period (794–1191), Japanese sought to emulate many practices from China,[citation needed] including the social phenomenon of flower viewing (hanami: 花見), where the imperial households, poets, singers and other aristocrats would gather and celebrate under the blossoms.
In Japan, cherry trees were planted and cultivated for their beauty, for the adornment of the grounds of the nobility of Kyoto, at least as early as 794.[3] In China, the ume "plum" tree (actually a species of apricot) was held in highest regard, but by the middle of the ninth century, the sakura had replaced the plum as the favored species in Japan.[citation needed]
Painting of Mount Fuji and sakura.
Every year the Japanese Meteorological Agency and the public track the sakura zensen (cherry-blossom front) as it moves northward up the archipelago with the approach of warmer weather via nightly forecasts following the weather segment of news programs.
The blossoming begins in Okinawa in January and typically reaches Kyoto and Tokyo at the end of March or the beginning of April. It proceeds into areas at the higher altitudes and northward, arriving in Hokkaidō a few weeks later. Japanese pay close attention to these forecasts and turn out in large numbers at parks, shrines, and temples with family and friends to hold flower-viewing parties.
Hanami festivals celebrate the beauty of the sakura and for many are a chance to relax and enjoy the beautiful view. The custom of hanami dates back many centuries in Japan: the eighth-century chronicle Nihon Shoki (日本書紀) records hanami festivals being held as early as the third century CE.
Most Japanese schools and public buildings have sakura trees outside of them. Since the fiscal and school year both begin in April, in many parts of Honshū, the first day of work or school coincides with the cherry blossom season.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Sakura folk song
"Sakura Sakura" (さくら さくら ?), also known as "Sakura", is a traditional Japanese folk song depicting spring, the season of cherry blossom. Contrary to popular belief, the song did not originate from ancient times, not from the Heian period or prior. It was first composed during the Edo period for children learning to play the koto.
Originally, the lyrics "Blooming cherry blossoms" were attached to the melody. The song has been popular since the Meiji period, and the lyrics in their present form were attached then. It is often sung in international settings as a song representative of Japan.
Throughout the ages there have been many rearrangements of the song, but Michio Miyagi's rendition is often regarded to be the best of them all.[citation needed] 'Dream of the Cherry Blossoms' by Keiko Abe, a Japanese virtuoso percussionist, is a 5 minute long piece for marimba based on an improvisation on the tune of 'Sakura sakura', and has become one of the most played pieces in the marimba repertoire.
Also, Yukijiro Yokoh, a Japanese classical guitarist made an arrangement for the instrument. Which is, like Keiko Abe's version, a theme with variations in which he uses different guitar techniques to imitate the sound of the Koto.
Originally, the lyrics "Blooming cherry blossoms" were attached to the melody. The song has been popular since the Meiji period, and the lyrics in their present form were attached then. It is often sung in international settings as a song representative of Japan.
Throughout the ages there have been many rearrangements of the song, but Michio Miyagi's rendition is often regarded to be the best of them all.[citation needed] 'Dream of the Cherry Blossoms' by Keiko Abe, a Japanese virtuoso percussionist, is a 5 minute long piece for marimba based on an improvisation on the tune of 'Sakura sakura', and has become one of the most played pieces in the marimba repertoire.
Also, Yukijiro Yokoh, a Japanese classical guitarist made an arrangement for the instrument. Which is, like Keiko Abe's version, a theme with variations in which he uses different guitar techniques to imitate the sound of the Koto.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Standard
桜 桜
野山も里も
見渡す限り
霞か雲か
朝日に匂う
桜 桜
花ざかり
桜 桜
弥生の空は
見渡す限り
霞か雲か
匂ひぞ 出づる
いざや いざや
見に行かん
野山も里も
見渡す限り
霞か雲か
朝日に匂う
桜 桜
花ざかり
桜 桜
弥生の空は
見渡す限り
霞か雲か
匂ひぞ 出づる
いざや いざや
見に行かん
Hiragana
さくら さくら
のやま も さと も
みわたす かぎり
かすみ か くも か
あさひ に におう
さくら さくら
はな ざかり
さくら さくら
やよい の そら は
みわたす かぎり
かすみ か くも か
におい ぞ いずる
いざや いざや
みに ゆかん
sakura sakura
no-yama mo sato mo
mi-watasu kagiri
kasumi ka kumo ka
asahi ni niou
sakura sakura
hana-zakari
sakura sakura
yayoi no sora wa
mi-watasu kagiri
kasumi ka kumo ka
nioi zo izuru
iza ya iza ya
mi ni yukan
Translation
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
On Meadow-hills and mountains
As far as you can see.
Is it a mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the morning sun.
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Flowers in full bloom.
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Across the Spring sky,
As far as you can see.
Is it a mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the air.
Come now, come,
Let’s look, at last!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Shinjuku National Park
The Filipino- Japanese Movement for Global Peace (FJMGP) together with its partners- the Multi Cultural Families Support Center (MCF) and International Family Association (IFA) together are holding a joint Family Service and HANAMI Party last April 5, 2009 at 10:30am-3:30pm.
The place was in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Naito-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. It is also one of the most visited place for Sakura viewing. the park was amazingly beautiful!
Fortunately, my husband and i are invited by Obuchi's couple to a get together packed lunch with some of our international couples and members in the church. there are some games for the children and sketch contests for other members too.
Fortunately, my husband and i are invited by Obuchi's couple to a get together packed lunch with some of our international couples and members in the church. there are some games for the children and sketch contests for other members too.
thats Kenji, Ate Fe's son
thats me and my hubby
together with Ate Precy too
group picture with other international members
it was a fun great Sunday..
Cherry Blossom Festival
Its April 4, Saturday. The sun shines as bright as the flowers bloom in Kamiseya ground where Sakura Festival was held.
So many people gathered around, families, friends and different countries as well. They brought food and snacks with them to share with under this flower viewing. its my first time to see then such an amazing flowers, and so excited!
There are food sales around too, and half of the vendors are Americans. The crowd were so lively with games and some presentations. full of people and caused of trafic too..
My husband and i with Masataka with us, enjoyed walk around. when we were hungry we ate and walk again, whoa.. that was in the morning. in the afternoon, my husband and i go back to Hanami (Sakura Festival) and spent time to walk along highway of Sakura trees. i felt lucky to experience my first spring time in Japan and joined Sakura Festival.
This Sakura flowers appeared once in a year, until it reaches to its full bloom in the beginning of spring around April. Hanami or flower viewing could only experience once in a year, and Cherry Blossom flowers lasted for two weeks..
So many people gathered around, families, friends and different countries as well. They brought food and snacks with them to share with under this flower viewing. its my first time to see then such an amazing flowers, and so excited!
There are food sales around too, and half of the vendors are Americans. The crowd were so lively with games and some presentations. full of people and caused of trafic too..
My husband and i with Masataka with us, enjoyed walk around. when we were hungry we ate and walk again, whoa.. that was in the morning. in the afternoon, my husband and i go back to Hanami (Sakura Festival) and spent time to walk along highway of Sakura trees. i felt lucky to experience my first spring time in Japan and joined Sakura Festival.
This Sakura flowers appeared once in a year, until it reaches to its full bloom in the beginning of spring around April. Hanami or flower viewing could only experience once in a year, and Cherry Blossom flowers lasted for two weeks..
that was me and Masataka
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