Sakura Cherry Tree Project

The Sakura Cherry Tree Project is a tree planting program in the United Kingdom. It is intended to symbolise friendship between the United Kingdom and Japan.

The trees were donated by the private sector in Japan and are of three types: Beni-yutaka, Tai-haku, and Somei-yoshino.{{cite web |last1=Stephenson |first1=Hannah |title=Celebrate cherry blossom season by planting a cherry tree of your own |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/japan-rhs-rhs-garden-wisley-agm-japanese-b1817740.html |work=The Independent |access-date=2021-08-02 |date=2021-03-16}}

History

The project was started following the meeting of the Japanese and British prime ministers, Shinzo Abe and Theresa May respectively, in 2017.{{Cite web|last=Brown|first=Graham|date=2020-12-01|title=Dundee park to undergo cherry blossom makeover in celebration of Japan-UK friendship|url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/dundee/1777075/dundee-park-to-undergo-cherry-blossom-makeover-in-celebration-of-japan-uk-friendship/|access-date=2021-08-02|website=The Courier|language=en-GB}} It was coordinated by the Japan–British Society and the Japan Association of the UK. The Japanese arm of the Japan–British Society organised funding for the project, while the British arm of the Japan Association of the UK selected sites for planting and procured the trees.{{cite web |title=Sakura Cherry Tree Project, a new season of UK-Japan cooperation and friendship |url=https://www.jlgc.org.uk/en/news_letter/sakura-cherry-tree-project-a-new-season-of-uk-japan-cooperation-and-friendship/ |publisher=Japan Local Government Centre}}

On 27 November 2019, the first trees were planted at Regent's Park in London.{{Cite web|date=2019-12-02|title=125 new cherry trees planted in the Royal Parks|url=https://www.royalparks.org.uk/whats-on/blog/125-new-cherry-trees-planted-in-the-royal-parks|access-date=2021-08-02|website=The Royal Parks|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Symonds|first=Dan|title=First of 6,500 gifted Japanese cherry trees planted at Regent's Park|url=https://www.hortweek.com/article/1667254|access-date=2021-08-02|website=Horticulture Week}}{{Cite web|title=Sakura Cherry Tree Project|url=https://www.japanbritishsociety.or.jp/en/news/%E6%97%A5%E8%8B%B1%E6%A1%9C%E6%A4%8D%E6%A8%B9%E3%83%97%E3%83%AD%E3%82%B8%E3%82%A7%E3%82%AF%E3%83%88/|access-date=2021-08-02|website=Japan-British Society}} By 2021, there were 160 Sakura-planting sites in the UK, and 400 schools participating to the plantation project.{{Cite web |date=13 January 2022 |title=Fenland becomes home to Japanese Sakura Cherry Tree Project |url=https://www.fenlandcitizen.co.uk/news/fenland-becomes-home-to-japanese-sakura-cherry-tree-project-9235059/ |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=Fenland Citizen |language=en}}

References

External links

[https://japanuksakura.org/ Official website]

Category:Japan–United Kingdom relations

Category:Trees