Through the Eyes of the former Consul General Yamada (June, 2017 - July, 2020)

Seattle's Cherry Blossoms

Kobe Terrace Park in Seattle (Photo Credit: Fumiyo Tanaka)

Spring has come. Thanks to the low temperatures, Seattle’s cherry blossoms were at full bloom for more than two weeks this year. After a cold winter, eating boxed lunches and drinking sake under the bright white flowers shining with the sun’s rays is the way of Japan’s “Hanami” (flower viewing). It’s the best, isn’t it?

Cherry blossom viewing is a long-held Japanese tradition. There are records from the early 9th century of nobility enjoying flower viewing.

Wanting foreign countries to know of this charming Japanese cultural tradition, in 1912 Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo gifted 3,000 cherry blossom trees to Washington D.C., which were planted in the bank of Potomac River. Here in Seattle, in 1960, the current Emperor (who was then Crown Prince) and Empress planted a cherry blossom tree in the Japanese garden of the Washington Park Arboretum. In 1976, Prime Minister Takeo Miki (who had lived in Seattle when he was young) gifted 1,000 trees to Seattle to honor the friendship between Japan and the United States. Thanks to Japanese Americans who cherished cherry blossoms for a long time, the cherry blossom trees are well-loved by Seattle citizens, and beautiful cherry blossoms can be seen throughout the city.
 

Cherry Blossoms at the University of Washington-Seattle Campus (Photo Credit: Albert Ramos)

Since the gifting of those trees in 1976 the Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival, a festival organized under the leadership of Tazue and Yutaka Sasaki, has been taking place. This year was its 43rd festival and was held from April 20th to the 22nd with the attendance of an estimated 31,000 people. This festival introduces various aspects of Japanese culture such as ikebana (flower arrangement), chado (tea ceremony), shodo (calligraphy), and martial arts. Mr. Mitsunari Okamoto, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, visited the festival on his way back from Latin America.
 

Lynn Miyauchi of the Consulate presenting on Samurai at Sakura Matsuri

In Seattle, there is another large-scale event that has the word “Sakura” (Cherry blossom) in its title: Sakura-Con – a convention celebrating Japanese modern pop culture. 2018 was its 21st year. For three days, more than 24,000 people transformed with splendid cosplay of Japanese game, anime, and manga characters and walked through the convention center. Attendees gathered in Seattle from all over the country as well as from Japan. I was invited to the opening ceremony and after some consideration, I decided to appear as the character “Aku Daikan” (Evil Magistrate) from a historical drama. Just around this time, former Japanese Ambassador to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki was visiting Washington to be honored at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington’s Tomodachi Gala, so he visited the convention dressed in cosplay as well. Who do you think he was? The Laughing Salesman, the Blues Brothers, or the Godfather?
 

(Left to right) Christopher Louck (Sakura-Con Chairman), Mira Utz, Consul General Yoichiro Yamada, and Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki	Sakura-Con Exhibitor's Hall

I can understand the feeling of Seattleites who celebrate the cherry blossom season and its festivals after a long, dark, and rainy winter. I also went to see some cherry blossoms in Seattle. Other than the most famous of which are the cherry blossoms in the Quad at the University of Washington, I recommend 34th Avenue West in Magnolia on the way to Discovery Park where you can see a row of cherry blossoms. Although I wanted to enjoy drinks under these blossoms, consuming alcohol in a non-designated public place is prohibited in Seattle. Even though the love of cherry blossoms is the same between the US and Japan, there is a difference in what is allowed in both countries. So, if you want to drink sake under the cherry blossoms, please visit Japan. It’s the best!
 

Mt. Fuji in the spring