This weekend, Washington, D.C., welcomed the arrival of spring with the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, a tradition that has been installed in the area for 98 years to commemorate the gift of over 3,000 cherry trees from Japan.
The 2010 Festival began March 27 with a “Family Day” and opening ceremony, which included a showcase of talent ranging from traditional Japanese Kyogen theatrical dances and a Japanese pianist to the enchantment of the Washington Ballet. This two-week citywide event will feature cultural performances and numerous other experiences near the monuments and around the city’s museums.
From very early on Saturday morning, the streets of D.C. were flooded with visitors from all around as they gathered to see the freshly blossomed cherry trees. From the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin to the monuments surrounding the National Mall, pale pink and white flowers flourished in celebration of a new season. Kites flew swiftly against the wind alongside the 50 flags surrounding the Washington Monument in the center of the Mall. This free public event organized each year by The Smithsonian Association and the National Air and Space Museum featured a display of handmade kites soaring above the city’s limits.
Families, tourists and locals alike gathered throughout to bronze under the vibrant sun that welcomed this year’s festivities. Children of all ages ran freely from activity to activity as they learned how to create their very own kites with materials provided by the Drachen Foundation. They could write their names in Japanese characters taught by National Cherry Blossom calligraphers.
Likewise, a few blocks away from the monuments within the walls of the National Building Museum, families gathered to experience the festival’s opening ceremony. Kyogen, one of Japan’s traditional theatrical arts developed during the 14th century as a comical interlude, initiated the ceremony. Kyogen is intended to make people laugh, tell stories about everyday life utilizing slapstick satire and exaggerated movements. The actors enchanted the audience with an abbreviated version of “Sanbaso,” the ancient Japanese celebration of a good harvest and the New Year, which falls in spring.
The ceremony continued with the singing of both the Japanese and United States National Anthems, sang by Miss Iori Kotake and Miss D.C. 2009 Jennifer Corey, respectively. Corey is a 22-year-old, 2009 cum laude graduate of AU, where she majored in music with a concentration in vocal performance. Promenading through the halls of the NBM, this stunning queen caught the attention of all as members of the audience lined up to meet her. Her vibrant pink dress, one of the many she will be wearing throughout the festival designed by Michael Kaye, complemented the entrancing cherry blossoms outside. Although it was her first time as Miss D.C., the city royal is no novice — not only was she crowned Cherry Blossom Princess in 2008, but her determination and beauty placed her in the top 10 in this year’s Miss America pageant.
Corey said she loves “singing and being able to spread cheer” as she completes her duties and visits numerous events such as Civil War memorials, children hospitals and leukemia fundraisers. Having several friends still on campus, the princess insisted that there is no other place like AU’s quad to simply sit under the sun and enjoy your day. Just having been on campus last week, she informed the crowd that while she was previously employed with the National Opera House, she is now branching out to the 7th Street Group in Georgetown but hopes to be a participant of the celebration again next year.
One of the ceremony’s most eye-catching performances was by the Japanese pianist, Tempei. This young performer and composer transcends genres and borders. Originally a construction worker seeking to change his lifestyle, at 17 years old Tempei discovered his ability to play piano. He is unique and does not have the typical elite pianist background. However, his passion and curiosity for knowledge and experience allow him to compose lifting and exciting pieces.
“There are no borders between genres,” Tempei said with enthusiasm. “I want to be able to blend elements from all types of music.”
Tempei was discovered on a Japanese TV show by diplomats who saw his overwhelming talent and invited him to America to participate in the festival. His first time in Washington, D.C., Tempei remarked with a smile on that, in comparison to New York — the only city he has previously visited — people in D.C. are friendly and open-minded. The pianist, who splits his time studying under the auspices of Ronn Yedidia at the New York Piano Academy and Tokyo, hopes to continue studying and writing music, a passion he has grown to love and respect.
The closing remarks, presented by the festival president, Diana Mayhew, encouraged all to experience what the city’s newfound natural beauty had to offer, and to get involved in all the cross-cultural exchange of American, Japanese and other cultures the numerous demonstrations will showcase. The festival will continue each day with performances at noon at the Target Stage at Sylvan Theatre at the southeast grounds of the monuments. The festival concludes with a parade on April 10, which marks the beginning of the 50th Sakura Matsuri (Japanese Street Festival). This celebration, stretching for six blocks through downtown D.C. presented by the Japanese-American Society of Washington D.C., is the nation’s largest Japanese street festival.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival expands through three spectacular weekends of diverse activities and family fun. A festivalgoer remarked that the blossoms make you “feel better and make the world so much happier.” The 2010 Festival commemorates the 98th anniversary of an enduring friendship between nations, but it also reinforces the bond between people of all backgrounds and of all ages. This celebration is a time when residents and visitors alike join for a bevy of festivities and look with anticipation to the season ahead.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
