From the Desk of Consul General Osumi

2024/4/28
Consul General Osumi with the Queen and Court
MCs interview the participants
Essay Vol. 8
~Cherry Blossoms~
 
April 28, 2024
Yo Osumi
Consul General of Japan in San Franscicsco

 

 
 The rainy winter in San Francisco is finally over and you can feel spring on the horizon. In April, cherry blossom festivals were held all across Northern California, and I tried to attend as many as my schedule would allow.



Heart to Heart with Cherry Blossoms
 Of all Japan’s seasons, the most brilliant is that time of year when cherry blossoms bud, enter full bloom, then finally fall in a blizzard of petals. Families with children take pictures under the cherry blossoms at school entrance ceremonies at the main gate. Families and friends seek out blooming trees in high spirits, and it’s always a fun time to sit under the trees to drink and get a little rosy-cheeked (leaving aside those who fall asleep under the those trees after a bit of overindulgence). The arrival of spring is one of life’s joys.  
 Since ancient times, there have been many famous poems written in Japan about cherry blossoms. Norinaga Motoori, who made great achievements in the study of the Kojiki and the Tale of Genji in the Edo period, particularly loved wild cherry blossoms, and wrote the poem below:
 
「敷島の大和心を人問はば 朝日ににほふ山桜花」
Shikishima no / Yamatokokoro wo / Hito towaba / Asahi ni niou / Yamasakurabana
Should anyone ask me / about the Japanese spirit / it is the wild cherry blossoms / blooming in the morning sun.

When asked about "the Japanese spirit," Norinaga’s poem about wild cherry blossoms in the morning light of spring highlights the very essence of the concept of mono no aware, expressing the deep emotion that arises from the changing seasons. I believe it shows the special appreciation that Japanese people have always had for cherry blossoms.    
 At this year's Imperial New Year's Poetry Reading, a poem by Kawasaki Haruko, a resident of Los Angeles, was selected to be read:
 
「かの日々に移り来し人等耕しし 大和と呼ぶ里アマンドの花」
Kanohibi ni / Utsurikishihitora / Tagayashishi / Yamato to yobu sato / Amando no hana
In days gone by / Those who came before / cultivated the home called Yamato / Almond blossoms

I wonder if the Japanese Americans who immigrated in the 19th century compared almond flowers to cherry blossoms, looking back to their homeland.  


Participating in the 57th Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival
 The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival was first held in 1968. After the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and the postwar hardships Japantown faced, that "Cherry Blossom" name took on a special meaning. I found myself very impressed by the 57th Cherry Blossom Festival. 
 I walked from the Kabuki Hotel to the Kabuki Theater, exploring every corner from the stores in the mall, to the food stalls, to the outdoor stage, the dances, performances, taiko drums, rice cake pounding, and calligraphy and flower arrangement demonstrations at the Northern California Japanese Cultural Community Center. Everywhere I turned, there were people, people, people. San Francisco Japantown is usually busy on weekends, but the energy at the festival was unparalleled. As a Japanese diplomat, I was once again proud to see the efforts of Nikkei working so hard to make San Francisco a place where the Japan brand is so well known and respected.  

 I participated in six events, starting with the Queen's Program on the 7th, and gave speeches at all of them except the Grand Parade.  

 ~The Queen Program on the 7th was a competition to select a queen who will be a symbol of the community not only for her glamor, but also for her intelligence and leadership. In front of all the wonderful candidates, I introduced a waka poem written by Akiko Yosano, a passionate poet of the Meiji era, as well as my own special feelings toward cherry blossoms. Her poem is as follows:
 
「清水へ 祇園をよぎる 桜月夜 こよひ逢ふ人みな美しき」
Kiyomizu e / Gion wo yogiru / Sakurazukiyo / Koyoi au hito / Mina utsukushiki
Strolling past Gion / To Kiyomizu / Under moonlit cherry blossoms / Every person I meet / Is beautiful to gaze on
Toast among participants
Consul General with honorees and MC
 ~At the Opening Ceremony on April 13th, I expressed my high expectations for the Cherry Blossom Festival in the historical context of the exchange between Japan and the U.S., referring to Prime Minister Kishida's recent visit to Washington, D.C.

~At the Friendship Reception held on April 19th, I had the pleasure of meeting not only San Francisco Japantown officials, but also Sakura Matsuri officials from Cupertino, Davis, and other nearby cities, cherry blossom queens and princesses from Los Angeles and Hawaii, Kanda Myojin priests, and Ryukyuan dancers and musicians from Japan. I expressed my hope that we can build a network of friendship between our two countries, and I spoke on the value and importance of such networking and grassroots exchanges.
 
挨拶をする大隅総領事
フレンドシップ・レセプションの様子
  
 ~On April 20th the Taru Mikoshi purification ceremony was held between Peace Plaza and Osaka Way (Buchanan Street), and many people stopped by to watch. They learned that the mikoshi is a symbol of Japanese festivals, and that the divine spirits in the mikoshi bring happiness to people as they parade through the city. The more the mikoshi shakes, the more happiness it will bring, and we encouraged everyone to come to the Grand Parade on the 21st to shake the mikoshi with their loud cheers. Many people gathered at the Kagamikai to make rice cakes to offer to the shrine, and I was able to pitch in and help in the rice cake pounding.

 ~At the Senior Appreciation Brunch on April 21st, we recognized seniors who have contributed to the community, not only in San Francisco, but also in the surrounding area. We also made a presentation on the contributions of the Nikkei who came before to the current generation of Nikkei and Japanese people. The Consulate General would like to make efforts to convey the history and contributions of Nikkei and to promote dialogue and cooperation between Nikkei and Japanese people.
The Consulate contingent marches in the parade
The Taru Mikoshi concludes the 57th Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival
Grand Parade  
 The morning of the 21st was sunny and warm, and the cherry blossoms at Peace Plaza were almost in full bloom. In the afternoon, the Grand Parade, the highlight of the Festival, traveled from City Hall to Japantown. The Consulate General was the ninth group in the parade, so we left early from the front of City Hall and made our way to Japantown along the mile-long route. My wife and I rode in a convertible car for the first time, which was both very fun and a little embarrassing. But we waved back as hard as could to the children who were waving to us from the roadside. In the bright spring sunshine, all the smiling faces of the waving people, the warm cheers, and the fluttering flags of Japan and the U.S. made it a memorable experience.
 
サンフランシスコ市庁舎前での記念撮影
観客に手を振る大隅総領事夫妻
 The parade included a local fire ladder truck, police horsemen, local politicians, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Japantown-related educational, religious, and senior services groups, local elementary and high schools offering Japanese language classes, dancers, drummers, over 100 Shiba Inus, cosplay groups, cherry blossom queens and princesses, and many more.
 The Taru Mikoshi, a portable shrine, was the highlight of the event. The Taru Mikoshi (portable shrine), carried by more than 100 men and women, was the grand finale. The Taru Mikoshi has three tiers, and three fierce men rode on the top tier, secured with only one rope and one arm. They waved at their fans, and shouted "Soiya! Soiya!” down to the bearers and to the spectators along the street. The voices of those on the Taru Mikoshi and the voices of the cheering crowd combined to bring the excitement of the festival to a climax. My son, who was with me, was shocked and impressed by the sheer power of the festival.
 It was a real show of spring.
Deputy Consul General Kishimori and San Jose Nikkei Matsuri supporters
Remarks from Consul General Osumi
250 Cherry Trees
 From April 9th to 11th, Prime Minister Kishida visited Washington, D.C. This visit to the U.S. was of great significance for Japan-U.S. relations, and I plan to write about it separately, but I know that the speech Prime Minister Kishida gave to the joint session of Congress was very well received, both for its content and for its entertaining jokes and personal episodes.
 
Prime Minister Kishida's Address to a Joint Meeting of the U.S. Congress
“For the Future: Our Global Partnership" (April 11, 2024)

 During the Prime Minister’s visit, there were two events related to cherry blossoms that I would like to highlight.
 First, during his stay, the Prime Minister visited the Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Daniel K. Inouye, the first Japanese American member of Congress. Prime Minister Kishida planted a Someiyoshino Cherry sapling in the hope that the history of Japanese Americans will be passed on to the next generation.
 The cherry trees along the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., are well known throughout the U.S. In his speech to Congress, the Prime Minister announced his decision to donate 250 cherry trees as a token of Japan's friendship and as a wish for the continued growth of the United States, which will celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding in 2026. Prime Minister Kishida also attended the donation ceremony for the cherry tree saplings brought from Japan, and expressed his hope that the cherry trees will bloom forever as a symbol of the strong ties between the United States and Japan. Mayor Bowser of Washington, D.C., who was present at the ceremony, said that along with the Statue of Liberty in New York City, the cherry trees in Washington, D.C., are the most important gift the United States has received from a foreign country in its history. The 3,000 cherry trees in the District were a gift from Japan, given in 1912 thanks to the efforts of many people in both countries, including then-Mayor of Tokyo Yukio Ozaki, as a symbol of peace and goodwill between the United States and Japan.


Thank You to Everyone Involved
 On April 21st , Deputy Consul General Kishimori participated in the San Jose Nikkei Festival. He expressed how happy he was that Japanese and Japanese American culture continues to be shared, and his gratitude to the new generation of leaders who made the festival a success, including Moschel Kadokura, President of the Nikkei Matsuri Foundation and everyone else who supports the festival. I heard that the festival was warm and welcoming, in classic San Jose fashion.
 On the 27th, I attended the opening ceremony of the Cherry Blossom Festival in Cupertino. Cupertino has had a sister city relationship with Toyokawa City in Aichi Prefecture for nearly half a century. This year saw the return of the junior high school student-exchange program after a three-year hiatus, thanks in no small part to the work of Alyssa Sakkas, President of the Cupertino Toyokawa Sister City Association, and all of the volunteers and others who helped the festival come together. This summer, around 20 middle school students from Cupertino will visit Toyokawa City. I hope that these children will build on this experience and go on to take Japanese language courses in high school, and eventually grow to become Japan specialists. One of our staff at the Consulate is a Cupertino native who visited Toyokawa on a sister city exchange program when she was in junior high school and then went on to study Japanese at a local high school.
 April flew by in a rush of cherry blossoms, but in the little over half a year since I was assigned to the Bay Area, I have met many people and gained a better understanding of the community as a whole. It was wonderful to see the smiles on the faces of people I knew, people I was meeting for the first time, and everyone on the Cherry Blossom Festival Committee, including Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Co-Chairs Matt Nagatomi and Yuki Nishimura, and the president of Sakura Matsuri Inc., Kiyomi Takeda. I was very glad to see them all.
 Thank you very much!