UPDATED: Sakura Cherry Blossoms in Ontario 2024

2024/5/16

Thank you, Ontario, for another beautiful Sakura season!

The City of Toronto announced on April 16 in its news release that, "The City of Toronto is expecting cherry blossom (Sakura) trees across the city to reach peak bloom over the next couple of weeks. This annual rite of spring is a popular natural phenomenon Torontonians and visitors will soon be able to enjoy at several locations across the city." More details here.

Sakura, Japanese cherry blossoms, have played a significant role in the history of Japan-Canada and Japan-Ontario relations since 1959, when the people of Tokyo presented 2,000 cherry trees to Toronto. Since then, Japanese and Japanese Canadian individuals and organizations have planted Sakura trees in various places around the province. A major example of this is the Sakura Project which planted 3082 Sakura trees around Ontario from 2000 to 2012.

As the blossoms once again adorned locations around Toronto and Ontario, the activities listed below enhanced the season;

Sakura Haiku Challenge - The Consulate-General of Japan once again held the Sakura Haiku Challenge from November 2023 through March 2024, inviting submissions of Sakura-related haiku from our social media followers. We received almost 370 haiku not only from Ontario but around the world, including this one from Her Honour the Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. These submissions were posted on X (@CGjapanTO) and Facebook (facebook.com/JapanConsToronto) from April 16 to May 11. NEW All of the submissions are now available in an anthology here (137 MB).

Consul-General Matsunaga's Attendance at the "Sakura Event" for Media Held by the City of Toronto (April 21) - Her Worship Oliva Chow, Mayor of Toronto, held a media event in Toronto’s High Park to mark the blooming of the Sakura cherry blossoms. Afterwards, she and Consul-General of Japan in Toronto Matsunaga Takeshi toured a grove of Sakura trees. More details here.

Screening of the Makioka Sisters (April 30) - This lyrical cinematic adaptation of the beloved novel by TANIZAKI Junichiro was a late-career triumph for director ICHIKAWA Kon. Structured around the changing of the seasons, the film follows the lives of four siblings who have taken on their family’s kimono manufacturing business in the years leading up to the Pacific War. This screening was hosted by The Japan Foundation, Toronto, and co-presented with the Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto in celebration of springtime and cherry blossom season. Consul-General Matsunaga was in attendance and gave remarks.

Canada-Japan Networking Event - Innovation (April 30) was held by Torys LLP, the Japan Society, and Toronto Shokokai to celebrate the Sakura season at this Canada-Japan networking event. Consul-General Matsunaga gave remarks.

Sakura at ROM: Cherry Blossoms in the Japanese Collection (May 10) - Dr. Takesue Akiko, the Royal Ontario Museum's Bishop White Committee Associate Curator of Japanese Art & Culture, spoke on the Sakura-related items in the museum's Japanese art collection. This lecture was hosted by The Japan Foundation, Toronto, and co-presented with the Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto in celebration of springtime and cherry blossom season. Consul-General Matsunaga gave remarks.

Sakura (Cherry Blossom) Festival in Burlington (May 11) - Burlington celebrated the Sakura (Cherry Blossom) Festival and the 35th anniversary of the twinning agreement between Burlington and its twin city, Itabashi, Japan. The day's events included: opening performance by Burlington’s own Do Kon Daiko Japanese drumming group; karate, aikido and iaido demonstrations; a performance by the internationally renowned taiko group Nagata Shachu; Suzuran odori (traditional dance) performances; closing with an exhilarating yosakoi dance by Sakuramai Toronto. The festival was hosted by the Burlington Mundialization Committee. Consul-General Matsunaga was in attendance and gave remarks.

Free Paper Palettes Sakura Pack at the Japanese Paper Place (April 15 to May 15) - The Japanese Paper Place celebrated Sakura season with its limited-edition Paper Palettes - Sakura. Details about the product can be seen here.

RESOURCES:

DONATE TO THE CITY OF TORONTO’S SAKURA CHERRY TREES PROJECT
You can carry on the philanthropic tradition that has been such a big part of Toronto’s Sakura story. Your donation will support: planting new Sakura trees; maintaining our existing trees; interpretation and education – the story of Toronto's Sakura trees and groves; enhanced landscaping around the cityu's cherry tree groves. Further details on the DonateTO page here.

Where can I get information on the Sakura in High Park?

Where can I see Sakura in Toronto?

Where can I see Sakura in Ontario?
Consulate-General of Japan (Sakura Project trees)

Sakura’s History and Significance in Toronto:
CBC's "Our Toronto" produced an excellent episode on Sakura in 2022.

General Information on Sakura:
JNTO - Sakura: Japan's Symbol of Spring