IBY CAROLYN LUCAS-ZENK | WEST HAWAII TODAY In 1912, Japan gave the United States about 3,000 cherry blossom trees to encourage goodwill and a growing friendship between the countries. ADVERTISING The trees continue to bloom annually during the flowering season
IBY CAROLYN LUCAS-ZENK | WEST HAWAII TODAY
In 1912, Japan gave the United States about 3,000 cherry blossom trees to encourage goodwill and a growing friendship between the countries.
The trees continue to bloom annually during the flowering season at the Tidal Basin along the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.
The 100-year-old gift and the continued blossoming friendship will be celebrated Saturday during the 19th annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival, organized by area residents and the county Department of Parks and Recreation.
Using seeds presented from the Embassy of Japan that are especially suited to Hawaii’s climate, seedlings were cultivated last fall for the festival. One will be planted at 10:30 a.m. in Church Row Park by Mayor Billy Kenoi, Oahu Consul Gen. Yoshihiko Kamo and Tetsuo Koyama, director of the Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden, said Art Taniguchi, honorary consul general of Japan.
The planting is part of a nationwide centennial project, aimed at strengthening and deepening the Japan-U.S. alliance by promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges, one of the three main pillars of the Japan-U.S. alliance, Taniguchi said.
Participation in the project by people from both countries enhances opportunities to review the history of Japan-U.S. exchanges and recognizes the importance of Japan-U.S. relations. The project’s vision is also to support the flourishing Japan-U.S. relations for the next 100 years, Taniguchi said.
In Hawaii, the Formosan and Okinawan cherry blossom trees have been planted in Waimea and grown through the efforts of the willing local communities. The pink flowers that bloom every year have been a symbol of friendship between Japan and Hawaii for decades, Taniguchi said.
Waimea’s first cherry blossom trees arrived in 1953 as a memorial to Fred Makino, founder of Hawaii’s Japanese language newspaper, “Hawaii Hochi,” in 1912. Three ornamental cherry blossom trees were distributed, one of which was propagated, and 20 of its saplings were later donated to the Waimea Lions Club to be planted along Church Row Park in 1972.
In 1975, the organization planted 50 more trees in commemoration of the first Japanese immigrants to settle the Waimea area a century earlier. More than 70 cherry blossom trees line the park today.
clucas-zenk@westhawaiitoday.com
