Remarks by Consul General Yoichiro Yamada at the Opening ceremony of 2019 Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival (April 26, 2019)
2019/8/2
Good evening and welcome to the 2019 Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival. It is a great pleasure to be here at the opening of this event. (As Ms. Tazue Sasaki mentioned,) this festival began in 1976 when the then Prime Minister of Japan, Takeo Miki, donated 1,000 cherry saplings to the city of Seattle on the occasion of the bicentennial anniversary of the Independence of the United States. To mark the gifting, a ceremony was organized to introduce Japanese traditional culture. That was the first Cherry Blossom Festival. This year’s event is its 44th.
Today, this event has come to be among the fixtures of Seattle’s cultural events. Sakura Matsuri sees participation of well over 100 groups, receives support by over 800 volunteers, and is visited by some 30,000 citizens over the three-day period. Let’s give a round of applause for the organizers, participants, sponsors and supporters who make this wonderful event possible. (clap) And let us express our special thanks to Tazue and Yutaka Sasaki, who have been at the center of this Festival, for bringing Seattle and Japan closer through this special cultural experience every spring. (clap)
Talking about cultural experience, we have different approaches to enjoying the cherry blossoms in Japan and the United States. In Japan many adults get together underneath the blossoms and drink sake, eat bento, and sing songs. The virtue of this type of celebration does not seem to be shared in Seattle despite having so many wonderful cherry blossom spots. I think it is a pity. But we all share a love for beautiful cherry blossoms and enjoy the season in different ways.
I am glad that here in Seattle, there are a variety of Sakura festivals. Last week, I was invited to participate in the opening ceremony at Sakura-con at the Convention Center. Sakura-con has been held since 2000 and has become another Seattle fixture to celebrate you know what: Japanese manga and anime culture with cosplay.
Cultural fads change over time. 44 years ago, we had no personal computers or smart phones. On the surface, the two festivals deal with very different cultural aspects of Japan. But in another sense, the youth see such things as bento boxes, tatami mats, samurai attire and origami cranes in the manga and anime they enjoy and wonder what they are. They only need to visit the Cherry Blossom Festival this week to find out.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to note the special importance of this year in the history of the Cherry Blossom Festival. It is the 40th year since the venue of this Festival moved from Seward Park to the Seattle Center and added “Japanese culture” to its name. So, special congratulations to all the participants. Those of you, by the way, who attended Sakura-con last week know that this year is significant for another reason. It is the 40th anniversary of the birth of Gundam. I acted as Char with cosplay in the opening ceremony. I do not hear much enthusiastic reactions from this audience, unlike those youths in cosplay last week, but it’s OK.
At the end of my remarks, I would like to mention that in five days’ time, Japan will see a transition from one emperor to the next. Japan is an old country with strange traditions, and every business in Japan is now struggling to change its date system from Heisei to Reiwa in time for the transition on May 1st. We have high hopes that this new era under Emperor Naruhito will be a good one, where beautiful culture will emerge in harmony among people, as is the meaning of Reiwa.
To conclude, I wish you all the very best joy and discoveries in the best Japanese festival, in this best season, in this best location, in the best big town in the United States. Thank you for your attention.
Today, this event has come to be among the fixtures of Seattle’s cultural events. Sakura Matsuri sees participation of well over 100 groups, receives support by over 800 volunteers, and is visited by some 30,000 citizens over the three-day period. Let’s give a round of applause for the organizers, participants, sponsors and supporters who make this wonderful event possible. (clap) And let us express our special thanks to Tazue and Yutaka Sasaki, who have been at the center of this Festival, for bringing Seattle and Japan closer through this special cultural experience every spring. (clap)
Talking about cultural experience, we have different approaches to enjoying the cherry blossoms in Japan and the United States. In Japan many adults get together underneath the blossoms and drink sake, eat bento, and sing songs. The virtue of this type of celebration does not seem to be shared in Seattle despite having so many wonderful cherry blossom spots. I think it is a pity. But we all share a love for beautiful cherry blossoms and enjoy the season in different ways.
I am glad that here in Seattle, there are a variety of Sakura festivals. Last week, I was invited to participate in the opening ceremony at Sakura-con at the Convention Center. Sakura-con has been held since 2000 and has become another Seattle fixture to celebrate you know what: Japanese manga and anime culture with cosplay.
Cultural fads change over time. 44 years ago, we had no personal computers or smart phones. On the surface, the two festivals deal with very different cultural aspects of Japan. But in another sense, the youth see such things as bento boxes, tatami mats, samurai attire and origami cranes in the manga and anime they enjoy and wonder what they are. They only need to visit the Cherry Blossom Festival this week to find out.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to note the special importance of this year in the history of the Cherry Blossom Festival. It is the 40th year since the venue of this Festival moved from Seward Park to the Seattle Center and added “Japanese culture” to its name. So, special congratulations to all the participants. Those of you, by the way, who attended Sakura-con last week know that this year is significant for another reason. It is the 40th anniversary of the birth of Gundam. I acted as Char with cosplay in the opening ceremony. I do not hear much enthusiastic reactions from this audience, unlike those youths in cosplay last week, but it’s OK.
At the end of my remarks, I would like to mention that in five days’ time, Japan will see a transition from one emperor to the next. Japan is an old country with strange traditions, and every business in Japan is now struggling to change its date system from Heisei to Reiwa in time for the transition on May 1st. We have high hopes that this new era under Emperor Naruhito will be a good one, where beautiful culture will emerge in harmony among people, as is the meaning of Reiwa.
To conclude, I wish you all the very best joy and discoveries in the best Japanese festival, in this best season, in this best location, in the best big town in the United States. Thank you for your attention.