Sakura Cherry Tree Project

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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.

Contents

The trees were donated by the private sector in Japan and are of three types: Beni-yutaka, Tai-haku, and Somei-yoshino. [1]

History

The project was started following the meeting of the Japanese and British prime ministers, Shinzo Abe and Theresa May respectively, in 2017. [2] 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. [3]

On 27 November 2019, the first trees were planted at Regent's Park in London. [4] [5] [6] By 2021, there were 160 Sakura-planting sites in the UK, and 400 schools participating to the plantation project. [7]

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References

  1. Stephenson, Hannah (2021-03-16). "Celebrate cherry blossom season by planting a cherry tree of your own". The Independent . Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  2. Brown, Graham (2020-12-01). "Dundee park to undergo cherry blossom makeover in celebration of Japan-UK friendship". The Courier . Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  3. "Sakura Cherry Tree Project, a new season of UK-Japan cooperation and friendship". Japan Local Government Centre.
  4. "125 new cherry trees planted in the Royal Parks". The Royal Parks. 2019-12-02. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  5. Symonds, Dan. "First of 6,500 gifted Japanese cherry trees planted at Regent's Park". Horticulture Week. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  6. "Sakura Cherry Tree Project". Japan-British Society. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  7. "Fenland becomes home to Japanese Sakura Cherry Tree Project". Fenland Citizen. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-10.