The Cherry Blossoms: Marking the Beginning of Spring

1
The Cherry Blossoms Marking the Beginning of
Spring
2
What is the Cherry Blossom?

• The Sakura tree, Japanese for
• Cherry Blossom, represents the
• short-lived beauty and nature of life
• The trees are found around the
• Himalayas and in east Asia such as China, Korea
  and Japan
• Japan has over 305 species of Cherry Blossoms
• When in bloom, the trees look white from nearly
  top to bottom
• Its flowers are nearly pure white, tinged with
  the palest pink, especially near the stem. The
  flowers bloom, and usually fall within a week,
  before the leaves come out.

3
The History of the Cherry Blossomsin Washington
D.C.

• The 3000 trees given to the U.S. in 1912
• were a gift from Yukio Ozaki, the mayor of
• Tokyo, symbolizing the close relationship
  between the U.S. and Japan
• On March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Herron Taft
  and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese
  ambassador, planted the first two of these trees
  on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West
  Potomac Park
• In 1965, First Lady Lady Bird Johnson accepted an
  additional 3,800 more trees from Japan
• Today, the famous trees signal the coming of
  spring with an explosion of life and color
  surrounding the Tidal Basin portion of the West
  Potomac Park in a sea of pale pink and white

4
The Cherry Blossom Festival

• The Festival is held between March 31st and
  April 15th
• Over ONE MILLION people visit Washington D.C.
  each year to admire the blossoming cherry trees
• The Festival is comprised of
• Parades
• Street Festivals
• Performances

5
What the Festival Has to Offer

• The Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run
• Held on the first Sunday in April
• Cherry Blossom Soccer
• Co-ed, 7v7 teams from the Washington, DC,
  metropolitan area compete for the Cherry Blossom
  Cup on the Mall
• River Blossoms Tours
• Get to view 3000 cherry blossoms from
• the water
• Tidal Basin Paddle Boating
• National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade
• Held on the last Saturday of the Festival

6
Want More Information?

• Visit the National Cherry Blossom Festival
  Website
• http//www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
• Contact the Festival Hotline
• [phone]
• ASK AROUND!