This year happens to be a once in a lifetime centennial celebration of the gift of 3,020 cherry blossom trees from the people of Japan to the people of the United States as a token of friendship.

A century ago, a world-famous chemist and first president of Daiichi Sankyo Co, Ltd, Dr. Jokichi Takamine, played a pivotal role in arranging the gift of trees from the City of Tokyo to Washington, DC.

On March 27, 1912, Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo City donated the trees  in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and also to celebrate the continued close relationship between the two nations.

First Lady Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted the first two cherry trees on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. These two original trees are still standing today near the John Paul Jones statue at the south end of 17th Street. Workmen planted the remainder of the trees around the Tidal Basin and East Potomac Park. Even after a cenntury the trees have spread their roots and surved the elements, and have withstood the test of time.

This year the centennial celebration of the gift of trees will be celebrated from  March 20 – April 27, 2012 in Washington, DC.

On March 23, 2012, my wife and I were in Washington, DC. We feel that we were blessed to be in US during this centennial of the gift of trees. I took countless photographs that day.

Here I have embedded a video that I created using my photos. It was an unforgettable evening that we spent surrounded by cherry blossom. The music playing in the background is one that I enjoy listening without tiring – Carlos Santana’s ever green “Flor D’Luna (Moonflower)”.

Related articles

• First Lady Michelle Obama Marks the Cherry Blossom Festival Centennial (whitehouse.gov)
• Blossom Kite Festival 2012 on the National Mall in Washington, DC (tvaraj.wordpress.com)
• Celebrate Spring: Washington D.C. Cherry Blossoms (travelingchicha.com)
• Cherry Blossoms (idlamit.wordpress.com)