Free Downloads The Cherry Blossom Festival: Sakura Celebration
Lavishly illustrated and fact-filled, The Cherry Blossom Festival: Sakura Celebration is a fascinating and informative look into one of the world's greatest festivals. From Tokyo to Washington, D.C. these exuberant festivals celebrate the ethereal and glorious springtime blooming of the ancient cherry blossom tree and its role today as an instrument of diplomacy, landscape enhancement and eternal sign of spring and romance. Highlights include the story of the trees' cultivation and significance in Japan for more than 1000 years, how they came to the U.S. and their importance as representatives of Japanese and American friendship, plus listings of important cherry blossom tree collections and other significant viewing sites throughout the U.S. and Japan. Cherry blossoms are explored as symbols in Japanese art and artifacts, and in images of Japonism found in Western art. Extensive illustrations complement the intriguing stories of how Japanese cherry blossom trees came to be planted around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., and of the development of the National Cherry Blossom Festival which honors the trees and their extraordinary beauty. The pivotal roles played by intrepid traveler and writer, Eliza Scidmore, and First Ladies Helen Taft and Lady Bird Johnson are included. The most significant of the more than 175 varieties of Japanese ornamental trees are featured, along with cultivation tips for home gardeners. The Cherry Blossom Festival: Sakura Celebration is sure to enlighten and entertain everyone touched by the cherry blossoms' transcendent beauty and delighted by the festivals that honor them. Over a million people visit Washington, D.C., each year to admire the blossoming cherry trees, originally a gift of friendship from Japan in 1912, and attend National Cherry Blossom Festival events that herald the arrival of spring in the capital city. Offering something for everyone, Festival events include an Opening Ceremony, parade, entertainment stages, fireworks, Family Day, and the Sakura Matsuri - Japanese Street Festival. The National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the beauty of nature and international friendship through year-round programs, events, and educational initiatives that enhance our environment, showcase arts and culture, and build community spirit. As the nation's greatest springtime celebration, the National Cherry Blossom Festival includes spectacular weekends and daily events featuring diverse and creative programming designed to appeal to city residents and visitors alike. Each year, the Festival commemorates the anniversary of the gift of the cherry blossom trees and the enduring friendship between the United States and Japan.
Paperback: 104 pages
Publisher: Bunker Hill Publishing Inc; 2 edition (March 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1593730993
ISBN-13: 978-1593730994
Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.4 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #1,965,009 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #82 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > By Region > Middle Atlantic #278 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > Japanese Gardens #379 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Holidays
This is an excellent book if you would like to get an overview and history of Washington DC's Cherry Blossom Festival. There's some really good historical photographs and drawings and it was enjoyable to read about the development, meaning, symbolism, etc. of the Cherry Blossom Festival. I would rate this book 4.5 stars only because while there are some great photos of the spectacular trees there aren't nearly as many as there should be. This is a great book if you are new to Washington and/or looking for a gift.
The book is very detailed and wonderfully illustrated. It starts with the traditions and roots of Cherry Blossom Festivals from Japan. Then it explians how the cherry blossom trees came to Washington and how the US picked up the traditions of the Cherry Blossom Festival. It ends with a chapter about how to care for cherry blossoms and how they exist, not only in cities of Japan and Washington, D.C., but also in other parts of the US, such as New York and Ohio, Missouri and California. Lovely book.Funny enough, the book was printed in China.
My first impression was that author Ann McLellan has a great eye. She has collected an exciting, beautiful album of enchanting historic images as well as lovely new photos with a certain contemporary charm, to kindle or restore vivid memories held by generations of "once and future" visitors to Washington's Cherry Blossom Festival: the Sakura Celebration. My second impression was to be captivated by her poetic captions of the artistic array of intriguing wood cuts, paintings, photos and portraits, impossible to put down, pure fun to follow, one by one from cover to cover. The third impression is that the story behind the imagery also reveals her lively personality and conversational talents in an accessible style, not only as social history, political and diplomatic history, but also garden and landscape history and environmental art. This book's ideal user-friendly size is easy to handle and one wants to peruse again and again. Her in-depth narrative of the personalities behind the scenes of the planting of the cherry trees in Washington DC is a fascinating tale. It's a book to share and give to best friends and family with confidence, plus gratitude to the author for creating a true treasure of two cultures.
Having redecorated my office in a traditional/modern Japanese motife, with cherry blossoms and a planted cherry blossom tree outside the window, the book just adds to the office and provides a history of the cherry blossom as it pertains to Japan.Bob
Saw this book at the airport on a recent trip to Washington D.C. I really liked the illustrations so I found it on and purchased it here as a gift for a friend.
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