The Gift of Trees - a centennial celebration
1912-2012 Japan-US Cherry Blossom Centennial
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This year we are celebrating the 100 year anniversary of Japan's Gift of Cherry Trees to Washington D.C. In 1912, the relationship between Japan and the United States honored with a gift of friendship – 3,020 flowering cherry blossom trees to the people of the United States from the people of Japan. On March 27th of that year the first trees were planted in Washington D.C. near the Potomac River, thanks to the efforts of many, including of first lady Helen Taft, Ms. Eliza Scidmore, Dr. Jokichi Takamine, and Mayor Ozaki of Tokyo. Since their planting, these trees continue to be a symbol of the friendship between Japan and the United States, and communities, organizations and individuals have planted countless flowering cherry trees around the country to commemorate that friendship.
Today, the river basin area is widely celebrated for its cherry blossom viewing and attracts visitors from across the United States and countries world-wide. Over a million tourists come to enjoy the splendid blossoms each year. And, even some trees from the original planting still remain.
During this year's Centennial Celebration of the Gift of Trees, the Japanese Embassy in Washington D.C. and the Consulates General of Japan across the United States in cooperation with various cities, companies, non-profit organizations, and Japan-related organizations have organized cherry blossom tree planting initiatives throughout the nation. On April 27th in Columbus, Ohio and during mid-May in Novi, Michigan twenty cherry blossom trees will be planted and various celebratory events are planned to commemorate this centennial.
1. Columbus, Ohio
April 27th (Friday) – Tree Planting Ceremony
Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and Community Garden Campus – 20 Trees
April 29th (Sunday) 11:00am-4:00pm - Spring Festival 
Ohio State University, The Ohio Union, Performance Hall
2. Novi, Michigan
May 12th (Saturday) – May 19th (Saturday) – New Blooms for Novi !
- Dates for Cherry Tree Planting:
May 12th (Saturday) 10:30–11:30am Providence Park Hospital, Assarian Cancer Center – 5 Trees
A Japanese Yoga classroom will also be opened.3:00-4:00pm Novi Meadows Elementary /Japanese School of Detroit – 3 Trees May 17th (Thursday)
4:00-8:00pm Novi Public Library – 6 Trees
Cultural activities such as Haiku writing and Origami folding
* A planting ceremony will not be held.May 19th (Saturday) 3:30-5:00pm Novi Civic Center – 7 Trees
This is the main tree planting ceremony. You can enjoy Japanese choirs, taiko drumming performance, exhibits and more. - Cherry Blossom Art Project: Hundred Year Wishing Trees
We will make our own "Cherry Blossoms" by writing wishes on cards shaped like the flower petals, and decorating a "tree" in the Novi Civic Center with them. The Cherry Blossom cards will be provided at the events above and will be at the Novi Civic Center from May 12th through the 18th. Please feel free to join!
Other Cherry Blossom Related Events
April 15th (Sunday) Athens, OH – Ohio University
2012 Cherry Blossom Festival
Sponsored by: Ohio University Japanese Student Association
April 21st (Saturday) Bowling Green, OH – Bowling Green State University
OHANAMI Cherry Blossom Festival 
Sponsored by: Asian Studies Program & Japanese Club of Bowling Green State University
April 26th (Thursday) Findlay, OH
Cherry Blossom Tree planting ceremony in honor of the 200 year anniversary of the city and the 100 year
anniversary of the Gift of Trees
April 7th (Saturday) – May 3rd (Thursday) Cincinnati, OH Area
100 Years of Friendship Cherry Blossom Festival
Sponsored by: Japan America Society of Greater Cincinnati
April 7th (Saturday) – Ohanami Picnic at Art Park
April 14th & 15th (Saturday/Sunday) – Asia Festival at Museum Center
April 22nd (Sunday) – Sumo/Martial Arts Event at North Kentucky University
April 28th & 29th (Saturday/Sunday) – World Butterfly Exhibition at Krohn Conservatory
May 3rd (Thursday) – Cherry Blossom Festival and Dinner at Metropolitan Club
May 20th (Sunday) – Film Screening of "Takamine: The man who made Cherry Blossoms Bloom
in America" at Carnegie Center
May 9th (Wednesday) – Farmington Hills, MI
Cherry Tree Planting Event (Invitees only)
Sponsored by: Oakland County Economic Development Organization
June 10th (Sunday) – Cleveland, OH
Sakura Picnic
Sponsored by: Japanese Association of Northeast Ohio (JANO)
October 9th (Tuesday) – Grand Rapids, MI
Boulder Placement Ceremony of the Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden
Sponsored by: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
January 1st (Sunday) – November 30th (Friday) – Dayton, OH
Operation 1000 Cherry Trees Flyer (Japanese)
Sponsored by: Operation 1000 Cherry Tree Committee (Japanese Association of Ohio in Dayton)
*Please contact the event sponsors for further information. If you have any Cherry Blossom Related events you would like to have listed here, please contact our Public Relations & Culture Section.
We invite all organizations hosting Japan-related cultural events and people-to-people exchanges in 2012 to register your event* as an official event celebrating this centennial anniversary, and have use of the official logo shown here. Guidelines for qualifying events, use of logo and application may be found here.
*Please note: application approvals may take two weeks or more; submission one month prior to use is desired.
Cherry Blossom Centennial Celebration Events in Michigan and Ohio
| Nov 7-12, 2012 | Lansing-Otsu Middle School Exchange Program | City of Lansing, City of Otsu (Shiga Prefecture, Japan) |
| Oct 9, 2012 | Boulder Placement Ceremony of the Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden | Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park |
| Jun 10, 2012 | Sakura Picnic for Celebrating Cherry Tree Plantation | Japanese Association of Northeast Ohio (JANO) |
| May 9, 2012 | A Glimpse of Japan | Ikebana International Detroit Chapter 85 |
| Apr 26, 2012 | Findlay Cherry Tree Planting Ceremony | Friends of Findlay & Economic Development |
| Apr 21, 2012 | OHANAMI, Cherry Blossom Festival | Asian Studies Program & Japanese Club of Bowling Green State University |
| Apr 7-May 3, 2012 | 100 Years of Friendship | Japan America Society of Greater Cincinnati |
| Mar 31, 2012 | Michigan Japanese Language Speech Contest | Consulate General of Japan in Detroit |
| Mar 4, 2012 | Detroit Hina-Matsuri | Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) * |
| Mar 3, 2012 | Michigan Japanese Quiz Bowl | The Japan Center for Michigan Universities (JCMU) * |
| Mar 3, 2012 | Ohio Japanese Language Speech Contest | The Japan-America Society of Central Ohio (JASCO) * |
| Feb 27-Mar 29, 2012 | Japanese Doll Exhibition | Michigan State University, Asian Studies Center * |
| Jan 7, 2012 | Mochitsuki | University of Michigan, Center for Japanese Studies * |
| Jan 1-Nov 30, 2012 | Operation 1000 Cherry Trees | Japanese Association of Ohio in Dayton |