If you’ve been to Washington, D.C. in the last week, then you probably know that the National Cherry Blossom Festival is now ongoing. It’s a tradition dating back to 1912, commemorating the gift of Japanese cherry trees made to the District of Columbia by none other than then-Mayor of Tokyo, Yukio Ozaki. A symbol of friendship between the two nations, the act done in generosity has since grown into an annual springtime festival spanning multiple weeks and attracting countless visitors and participants to the D.C. scene. For this Flashback Friday feature, I’m offering an insightful timeline look at the National Cherry Blossom Festival through the years, showcasing how it has developed into what it is today.
A History of Cherry Trees in the DMV
The idea of planting cherry trees throughout the greater D.C. area dates back to as early as 1885. It was Elizabeth Ruhamah Scidmore who planted the hypothetical (and possibly literal) first seeds upon her return home from a visit to Japan. That was when she approached the U.S. Army Superintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds about planting cherry trees along the reclaimed waterfront of the Potomac River. While the idea was initially rejected, Scidmore, would go on to become the first female board member of the National Geographic Society.
It wasn’t until more than two decades later that several cherry trees were planted regionally. There was even a cherry blossom viewing party hosted by Scidmore herself in 1905. Included among the prominent guests were botanist David Fairchild and his fiancée, Marian, who happened to also be the daughter of famed inventor Alexander Graham Bell.
Fairchild would go on to import a thousand cherry trees from Japan’s own Yokohama Nursery Company, planting them directly on his own property in Chevy Chase, Maryland. By as early as 1907, the Fairchilds were already on board with the idea of promoting cherry trees throughout the greater D.C. region, as was Scidmore, who remained ever adamant. She even took to raising money directly to have cherry trees donated to the District, and even wrote to First Lady Helen Herron Taft on her formative ideas.
Cherry Trees Gifted
It wasn’t until 1912 that Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo made his gift of 3,000 cherry trees to D.C. The actual planting of the trees commenced in March, via a simple ceremony involving First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Iwa Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador.
In a generous and thoughtful response, the United States, in return, gifted the Japanese nation with flowering dogwood trees just a few years later, in 1915.
Festivities Expand
Throughout its tenure, the renowned Cherry Blossom Festival continued to expand into an annual celebration. School children took to reenacting the inaugural event years earlier, and civic groups began expanding all of the surrounding festivities in 1935.
As decades continued to draw in events and visitors, more weeks were eventually added to the total duration. By 1994, the festival expanded to become a two-week event. This also served to accommodate the growing and blooming season. In 2012, in honor of the centennial, the festival ran for five whole weeks!
The Festival Today
Today the festival currently runs four full weeks, drawing in crowds of more than 1.6 million and consisting of a vast array of entertainment and other offerings. But the cherry blossoms remain the key component and star of the show. Furthermore, it’s entirely free to attend.
This year’s festival will run through April 12. For a full lineup of offerings, events, and even information on parking, visit the website at www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.