Cherry Blossom Trees Gifted from Adachi, Japan Finally Arrive in Cincinnati After 12 Years

This week the Cincinnati Park Board received Cherry Blossom trees sent by the City of Adachi, Japan during the 2010 Butterflies of Japan show at the Krohn Conservatory. These newly arrived cherry blossom trees continue to celebrate and honor the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan.

This gift of Cherry Blossom trees continues a strong and special tradition of gifting trees to the US from Japan. In the 1930’s Cincinnati’s Ault Park received 1,000 Japanese Cherry Blossom trees. In 2008, the Japan America Society planted an additional 151 Somei Yoshino Cherry Trees in the grove at Ault Park. Each year, in Washington, D.C. the National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, DC.

Mayor Kondo of Adachi said "We would like to thank everyone who worked on quarantine process and raising of graft branches we sent for such a long time, especially under difficult situation of Corona pandemic. . We hope that these cherry trees will bloom many flowers and help Cincinnatians have glimpse of Japanese Spring."

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval added “We are extremely grateful to Mayor Kondo and the people of Adachi for the generosity of their gift and all this gesture represents for the current and future good will between our cities. We will be sure to do everything in our power to care for and honor these special trees.”

“My great grandfather, Dr. Manabu Miyoshi, was a botanist at University of Tokyo and he discovered many varieties of cherry blossom trees (Sakura). My personal connection through Japan and my great grandfather, make me very excited about this great gift. I hope to see everyone enjoying these new Sakura trees in the Cincinnati Parks very soon,” said Tokiko Ando Freeman.

Why did it take 12 years?

Because the United States Department of Agriculture controls the entry of agricultural products into the United States, the 10 gifted trees sent from Japan in 2010 were required to be placed in quarantine until they could test free of virus. 

Each spring, the trees were tested and each time they found some virus. Thankfully, the staff at the quarantine center decided they would assist by taking tissue culture pieces of each variety, treat them to prevent the virus and then create a virus free tree of each variety by grafting the tissue culture seedlings onto a cherry blossom rootstalk. We are delighted to report two of the cherry blossoms have finally arrived and are on display at Krohn Conservatory. They will be planted in the Eden Park area and will be joined by the rest of the trees once they are released from quarantine.

“In preparing for the 2010 Butterflies of Japan event at Krohn, I was extremely fortunate to meet many amazing partners in Japan who provided unique butterflies for the display, insects such as singing crickets and giant beetles, cultural display items, and these amazing the cherry trees. Our partners from Japan shared so many of their traditions and ideas for infusing the show with cultural accurateness” says Andrea Schepmann Former General Manager of Krohn Conservatory.

The following partners who helped us make this gift possible, despite many challenges and over many years are to be commended:

Ms. Yayoi Kondo, Mayor City of Adachi Tokyo, Japan

Mrs. Takako Asaka, Chair, Sakura Association

Mr. Taro Enomoto, Former General Manager of City of Adachi Living Things

Mr. Kenji Usukura, City of Adachi, cherry blossom specialist

Mrs. Tokiko Ando Freeman, Toyota Motors North America

Ms. Andrea Schepmann, Former General Manager, Krohn Conservatory

Mr. Gerald Checco, Former Park Board Superintendent

Ms. Jan Brown Checco, Artistic Director, Butterflies of Japan

Mr. Bob Taft, Former Governor of Ohio

Mrs. Carla Romannelli, Former Executive Director, JASGC