Little Flower, Big Story: Celebrating a Blooming Friendship
When the Mayor of Tokyo gave the original 3,000 cherry trees to Washington DC in 1912, he may not have been able to imagine the century of history that was to come. Those initial trees provided the first lines of an extraordinary tale that has built an unshakable bond between the two capital cities.
While the initial gift was one of the cornerstones of the beautification of the now iconic-National Mall and Tidal Basin areas, over the years, additional symbols and events have added their own stories to the tale. The first Cherry Blossom Festival in 1927, the beginning of the Cherry Blossom Princess and U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen program in 1948, the addition of the now-iconic stone lantern by the then Japanese Ambassador in 1954, the start of the Sakura Matsuri street festival in 1960; All these chapters have been added in Washington DC while Japan’s relationship with communities across the United States have also changed and grown.
So where are we in the story today? If the experiences of Ambassador Shinsuke J. Sugiyama during his first year as Japan’s envoy to the United States are an indication, the challenges of previous events have given way to a period of growth and friendship.
“Whether I’m meeting national leaders, state Governors, Japanese-Americans, military personnel, or fans of Japanese culture during a festival, I have always felt the same remarkably American spirit of openness, curiosity, and hope in every conversation I’ve had. This is the key part of the friendship and Alliance that has grown here. The trees and the Festival are both beautiful celebrations of this spirit, and I am so honored to once again represent Japan at this hopeful moment.”
Japan in 2019: Peak Bloom!
As the branches of Washington DC’s cherry blossom trees creak heavily under the weight of pinkish-white flowers this spring, similar scenes will certainly be taking place on the other side of the world in Japan. Long before Washington DC had their first experiences under their famous cherry trees, the Japanese people revered these flowers as a powerful symbol of endings and beginnings.
That feeling has rarely been as keenly felt as it is this spring, as Japan looks towards a period of hope, international prominence, and growth that will begin with a busy 2019.
In 2019 alone, Japan will host the G20 Summit(for the first time), the Rugby World Cup, and the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), in addition to the recently concluded 5th World Assembly for Women (WAW!) conference. Most importantly, in 2019, for the first time in as long as 200 years, His Majesty the Emperor of Japan will abdicate and a new Emperor will take the throne.
“In a normal year, any of one of these events would be a challenge and an achievement by themselves, and I wonder how we can do these all at once!” jokes Embassy Spokesman Takehiro Shimada.
“We have not taken on this challenge lightly however,” he continues. “This ambition is an expression of our confidence at this moment: We have put our economy on a strong footing, we have found a path forward to face challenges related to our aging population, and we have found a way to empower a record number of women coming into the workforce. With all of that work done, we are ready to show the results to the world, and encourage people across the world to reach their potential!”
Speaking of people reaching their potential, the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games of course represent an even bigger moment for Japan on the world stage. And as test events start taking place at Olympic venues, 2019 is the beginning of Japan’s opportunity to share its vision for an innovative games that will provide a showcase for the world’s athletic talent, as well as Japan’s technological achievements. And this year Japan learned that their bid to host the Osaka, Kansai 2025 World Expo was successful, so the work towards that showcase is underway as well.
Looking forward, looking back
With so much new coming in 2019 and beyond, it is only appropriate that the Embassy’s program for the National Cherry Blossom Festival focuses on the intersection of modernity and the strength of Japan’s deep traditions.
For example, the Japan Information and Culture Center exhibition, “Indigo Threads: Weaving Japanese Craftsmanship & American Heritage,” will feature an exploration of Japan’s indigo dyeing tradition and the surprising ways it has intersected with one of America’s most iconic symbols: When Japanese companies sought to create their own versions of blue jeans in the 1960’s, it was Okayama’s manufacturers who lead the beginning of jeans production in Japan. By the early 2000’s, Japan’s “denim-head” culture had become so developed, that US-based labels actually began to look across the Pacific Ocean for the ideas that would breathe new life into American blue jeans fashion!
Music is always a big part of the Festival, and Japanese takes on American culture will be in focus here as well, as the Blues Alley Japanese Jazz series returns this year with new artists and old favorites. The Festival will continue with a “grand finale” for the first time this year, with a performance by Ichiro Nodaira, a pianist/composer who himself has worked to blend new and old throughout his legendary and diverse career. Mr. Nodaira will perform both Japanese and American compositions, as well as pieces about spring.
From parades, festivals, and great chances to get hands-on with Japanese culture, don’t miss any of this year’s events and check out the latest NCBF Schedule updates here: https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/
