Cherry Trees
Celebrating cherry trees has been a part of Japanese culture since 812 CE, when the first hanami was held. The cherry trees of Jackson Park date from 2013 as a celebration of 120 years of Japanese presence in the park. They were planted around the Columbian Basin (south of the Museum of Science and Industry) by the park district in cooperation with Project 120 and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce. Additional trees have been added to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chicago.
Hanami (Flower Observing) are occasions for picnics under the trees in Japan and a celebration of spring. The delicate flowers last a short time and are easily blown away in the wind or a hard rain. They provide a reminder to pause and appreciate the gifts of the day. To walk among the trees is to bathe in the beauty.
The cherry blossoms of Jackson Park last about a week early in April. There are now over 180 cherry trees around the lagoon and south of SkyLanding.
Visitors may notice that there are just a few weeping cherry trees in the Japanese Garden itself. There are several reasons why there are so few.
- Most of the motifs of the stroll garden are about endurance and perseverance. Cherry blossoms are about impermanence.
- Cherry trees are brittle and can't be pruned into the shapes that fill the stroll garden with four season interest. The weeping trees have a more interesting shape for the rest of the year.
- Cherry tree are susceptible to disease and can spread some of them to other plants.
Japanese Festivals: Hanami | All About Japan (allabout-japan.com)
