On This Day, March 27, 1912, the first two Yoshino cherry trees were planted in Washington D.C., an event that would blossom into an iconic annual tradition. Helen Taft, wife of President William Taft, and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted these inaugural trees along the northern bank of the Potomac River.
This ceremonial planting marked the beginning of enhanced relations between the United States and Japan. In a gesture of friendship, the Mayor of Tokyo had gifted over 2,000 cherry trees to be planted across the nation’s capital.
While those initial trees had to be burned due to disease, a second generous gift of over 3,000 cherry trees arrived from Japan in 1912. The planting of the first two Yoshino cherries that March day kicked off this living memorial.
In the following years, the flowering cherry trees were strategically planted around the Tidal Basin and East Potomac Park to showcase their springtime blossoms. As the trees matured and more were added over time, the cherry blossom season became an annual celebrate event in Washington D.C.
Today, the National Cherry Blossom Festival attracts over 1.5 million visitors annually to marvel at the sea of pink blooms that burst forth from over 3,700 cherry trees. This beloved tradition traces its origins back to that first ceremonial planting by Mrs. Taft and Viscountess Chinda on March 27, 1912 – solidifying an enduring natural and cultural connection between America and Japan.
