Cherry Blossom Festival

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 Celebrated from March 20 through April 13 in Washington D.C.

As you may know, the trees were gifts from Japan received in 1912.

They line the tidal basin of the Potomac River leading to the Jefferson Memorial.

Peak bloom is anticipated for this weekend.


My photo is here in town though.  There are gardens on the UNR campus and San Rafael Park.

There is a festival in San Francisco as well, April 12-13 and 19-20.

Being on the west coast, where many Japanese Americans were interned, the purpose is more about a commitment to peace - in D.C. they symbolize friendship and cultural exchange.  Of course, being in Japantown, you will be celebrating culture in SF as well.


Called sakura, it is the national flower of Japan.  They have been referenced for centuries in poetry and literature, with their fragility seen as a symbol of life, death, and rebirth.


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