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>> From the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
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Welcome to the Library of Congress.
I'm Carroll Johnson-Welsh, Director for the Exhibition Sakura:
Cherry Blossoms as Living Symbols of Friendship.
Exhibitions at the Library of Congress are one
of the important ways we seek
to make the Library's extraordinary collections better known--
accessible to you and audiences around the world.
This exhibition is divided into three sections.
The story of the landmark cherry trees from the city of Tokyo
to Washington, D.C., in 1912; the historical significance
of the cherry blossoms in Japan; and their importance in American culture
and for Washingtonians, in particular.
Our curators for this exhibition are Mari Nakahara
from the Asian Division and Katherine Blood from the Prints
and Photographs Division.   Thanks, Carroll.
The spark for this exhibition actually came from Mari's study
of some very special watercolor drawings of cherry blossoms
from the Library's collections.
The more she learned about them and realized their significance,
the more excited we all became to present them publicly.
So I was very happy to join the team as co-curator
and to present an array of artworks and documents
from the Library's collections, primarily from the Asian Division
and the Prints and Photographs Division.
The latter has 15 million prints, drawings, and photographs
from the 15th century forward, international in scope,
with substantial Japanese holdings.
The Asian Division has the largest collection
of Japanese materials outside of Japan.
Right, Mari?   Yes. It is correct.
The Library's Japanese collection contains currently
about 1.18 million items, most of which are in a bound format.
As Katherine mentioned, the Japan-related materials are held
in many different divisions.
Even just for cherry blossoms, we had tough time
to select items for the exhibition.
As everybody knows, this year of 2012 was the hundredth anniversary
of the cherry blossom gift from the city of Tokyo to Washington,
D.C. This exhibition was selected as one
of the 2012 National Cherry Blossom Festival official events.
We not only celebrated this anniversary but also attempted
to introduce the Japanese culture, meaning of the cherry blossom
to Japanese people, and the fact
that these cherry blossoms have become America's --
I would say Washington's in particular, and finally a legacy
of the cherry blossom tree gift to the next generation.
Let's begin to look at the exhibition.
The first item is from Library's Manuscript Division,
a letter from Mayoress Ozaki to Mrs. Taft in February, 1912,
to verify that 3,000 cherry blossom trees were shipped from the city
of Tokyo to Washington, D.C. Friendship between Taft
and Mayor Ozaki began much earlier than the gift.
While Taft was the Governor to the Philippines, in early 20th century,
Taft visited Tokyo and met Ozaki.
Ozaki wanted to send a gift to the U.S.,
in return for America's support in the Russo-Japanese War.
When he learned that Taft had become the President,
and that Mrs. Taft loved the cherry blossom, and had asked the gardener
to plant 90 of this kind of cherry blossom tree near the White House,
Ozaki decided to send cherry blossoms as gift.
The first gift in 1910 failed due to infestation.
In two years, he sent another 3,000 cherry blossom trees.
These beautiful illustrations, depicting varieties
of the 1912 cherry blossom tree gift, were acquired by Dr. Swingle,
a U.S. botanist, who visited Mr. Funatsu in 1918.
Mr. Funatsu was a grower of cherry blossom trees in Tokyo area.
This is a picture taken upon Dr. Swingle's visit;
Funatsu in center, Dr. Swingle to his left.
Mr. Funatsu was trying to document the 57 varieties
of cherry blossoms existing in Tokyo area at that time.
This album, Kohoku Ofu, is the final documentation.
Seeing some of these illustrations, Dr. Swingle asked Mr. Funatsu
to have somebody draw 11 varieties
of the cherry blossom trees that U.S. received.
We learned, through research for the exhibition, the illustrator
for Kohoku Ofu, and those Dr. Swingle acquired was the same
person, Kokichi Tsunoi.
Coming back to the cherry blossom gifted to Washington, by the 1920s,
the Tidal Basin was overcrowded.
Therefore, some of the trees were transplanted.
As a result, two of the original trees are at the Library,
right behind the Jefferson Building in which we now stand.
In 1930s all kinds but three, which you see behind me,
died due to frequent floods around the Tidal Basin.
You can probably recognize two drawings of the cherry blossoms
which are the most famous ones-- Somei-yoshino and Kwan-zan.
In 1950s, Japan asked the U.S. to send back a segment
of the original trees because they lost many trees during the World
War II.
Usually, cherry blossom trees survive about 25 to 50 years.
It is amazing that we still have about 100 original trees
around the Tidal Basin and D.C. area.
By this time, you will have probably realized
that sakura is the Japanese word for cherry blossoms.
Katherine will now take us through the second section, exploring sakura
in Japanese history and culture.
There are many layers of meanings and traditions associated
with sakura in Japanese cultural history.
As gateways to some of these ideas, we're showing a number
of Japanese woodblock prints from the Edo Period,
a time that stretched from about 1600 to 1868.
But we begin in the 18th century
with this hanami party scene by Shigemasa.
The word hanami literally means flower viewing, but came over time
to be almost exclusively associated with cherry blossoms.
Sakura have long been celebrated in Japanese literature and poetry,
and there's a little haiku poem above this image.
It translates roughly as "All flocked together,
Blossoms upon blossoms, Asuka Hill."
And this is a real place in Tokyo that is still a famous destination
for cherry blossom viewing.
The blossoms in the poem refer both to the trees
and the beautiful women in the image.
There are three women and an equally resplendent man arranged
on a ground covering.
And as is traditional, they're enjoying picnic treats and sake.
We really like this image because in its essentials it's not so different
from what still happens in Japan today.
Mari, you've told me a little bit about your personal experiences.
At the beginning of the exhibition preparation,
I told Katherine how hanami continues
to be a very popular event in Japan.
Japanese people enjoy hanami with families, friends,
and even with colleagues.
Companies sometimes release a few people from work in early afternoon,
send them to the hanami place to hold space for the colleagues
to enjoy hanami together after work.
Hanami during the evening is one of the cool things to do;
drinking, singing, chatting.   It is such fun.
So let's look next at some 19th century prints that are
in a category called meisho-e or pictures of famous places.
Meisho-e are often linked with the four seasons and appreciation
of things like winter snow, bright autumn foliage,
and springtime cherry blossoms.
Here's a great example by Hiroshige, showing a Buddhist temple garden
that has been identified as Shushoin in the Yanaka area of Tokyo.
We see two weeping cherry trees in the foreground and people
who are making their way up along a zigzagging path
to look at the blossoms.
This garden was also known for its whimsical landscape features
such as the boat-shaped topiary we can glimpse at the right side
of the image near the artist's signature.
Because this is a Buddhist temple, it also gives us a chance to think
about the well-known spiritual connotation;
that because cherry blossoms bloom briefly
and then scatter while they're still beautiful, they are often associated
with ideas of impermanence and the ephemeral beauty of living.
In this sense also, they're often associated with warriors
from samurai to kamikaze pilots.
Now we have another meisho-e by Hiroshige,
this time from his famous 36 Views of Mount Fuji, and, as you can see,
this is a compact package filled with potent symbols and signifiers
of Japan, including Mount Fuji, the cherry blossoms,
rice fields, a Torii gate.
The notion of travel also comes into play here
and we can see travelers progressing on foot and horseback.
And remember, the Edo Period was a relatively peaceful stretch of time
that saw the extensive development of waterways
and roadways connecting the provinces to the major cities
of Edo, which is the old name for Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka,
and this fueled the popularity of travel and the celebration
of famous places like this one in art, poetry, and literature.
To my right is an image by Osaka artist Hokushu juxtaposing Kabuki
actors with cherry blossoms.
The actors are identified in the image and they're really presented
as themselves, as celebrities, a kind of pre-paparazzi image.
The actors are on a hanami outing to enjoy the blossoms,
but they've been distracted by a little frog
on the ground below them, another sign of spring.
This print is actually one of four panels.
The Boston Museum of Fine Arts collection has impressions
of all four.   We've mentioned actors and warriors.
Cherry blossoms were also strongly associated with beautiful women.
This print by Kiyonaga features two tall elegant beauties
who are perfectly showcased by the long, thin format of the artwork.
Prints of this type are called hashira-e or pillar prints,
and you may be able to guess that they were ideal for hanging
on pillars in architectural spaces.
Mari, would you like to talk about the next print by Kunikazu
which combines cherry blossoms and a special spring festival?
Sure. I think Japanese people's life is always associated
with seasonal events.   I'd say almost even every month.
Historically, we celebrate the Children's Day on May 5th,
which is a national holiday.
However, you can imagine, in old days,
children meant most likely boys.
So, for girls, we have Girls' Day (Doll Day in English) on March 3rd,
which is not a national holiday.
This picture was taken when I was little
with ornaments for the Girls' Day.
There are emperor, empress, servants, musicians, food,
vehicles, chest, such and such.
This represents parents' wishes to girls --
happy marriage, wealth, and health.
Here in this exhibit to my right, you will see writing --
Tokyo, the third month of 12 months.
A girl holding a toy of emperor, probably dreaming
of a good marriage, and then looking outside,
viewing Sumida River with cherry blossom.
Another picture shows a cherry blossom viewing again
when I was little.
This is my father and my sister, both my sister
and I wear the school uniform.
In Japan, academic year ends at the end of March,
and a new academic year begins in April.
It is a time for us to say goodbye to the old friends,
and meet with new friends.
It is a mixture of the feeling of sadness and excitement.
Time coincides with the cherry blossom,
and also this feeling overlaps with fragility of the cherry blossom.
This photo was taken around the moat of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo,
whose historical picture we also included
in these stereos, right, Katherine?
Yes. This wonderful contraption represents an early form
of 3D technology.
Inside are stereograph photos from the turn
of the 19th century showing cherry blossoms
at various Japanese sites including the Imperial Palace.
Stereographs are two nearly identical photos
mounted side-by-side.
When seen through special viewers like this one,
they appear as a single three-dimensional image.
These photos were very popular with Western audiences,
and the idea here is that cherry blossoms are increasingly entering
the international mind's eye as emblems
of Japan and Japanese culture.
Our travels continue with this stunning poster advertising Japanese
Government Railways in 1937.
The artist Munetsugu Satomi was born in Osaka and studied in Paris
at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts.
There's a wonderful art deco flavor here.
He really puts you in the picture, creating the illusion
that you're speeding past the landscape as a train passenger.
Although the cherry blossom tree occupies a relatively tiny piece
of real estate in the image, Mari and I really liked that it is
such a powerful focal point in combination with the Japanese flag.
Next, Mari will take us through the final section of the exhibition.
During the exhibition coordination, we realized that we have to get
through the World War II period.
This item is a good bridge between the Library's Japanese collection,
World War II, and cherry blossoms.
The item called Sakura, meaning cherry blossom -- do you remember?
-- is a Japanese textbook which teaches sakura,
its meaning to the Japanese people, and its application
to the Japanese literature.
This textbook was used in Japanese colonies such as Taiwan and Chosen.
The Library's Japanese collection contains over 10,000 pre-war
and post-war Japanese textbooks captured
by the U.S. during and after World War II.
I would like to talk about two important people
through the next item.   First person is Dr. Shiho Sakanishi
who was the first official Japanese librarian hired
by the Library in 1930.
Between 1930 and 41, till she was suspected as a spy and captured
in a camp, she tripled the Japanese collection from 12,000 to 35,000.
Unfortunately, she was finally deported back to Japan.
However, she left her working documents to the Library.
This is the speech script by former Ambassador Hiroshi Saito,
which was found in the Sakanishi manuscripts.
Ambassador Saito was the Japanese Ambassador
to the United States between 1934 and 1938.
In the script, he mentioned that he was here in D.C.,
as a young diplomat, when the cherry blossom gift was sent in 1912.
Saito resigned from ambassadorship at the end of 1938 due
to illness and passed away in 1939.
Back in those days, Saito was recognized as one of the people
who contributed to the U.S.-Japan friendship.
As a matter of fact, President Roosevelt arranged a special ship
to send Saito's ashes back to Japan.   Speaking about President Roosevelt,
we have more items related to the President.
Right, Katherine?
Yes. Here we have two editorial cartoons related
to Roosevelt's presidency.
And as Mari said earlier, now the cherry blossoms are also seen
to be representing Washington -- the social, political,
and literal landscape in Washington, D.C. This cartoon
by Clifford Berryman comments
on Roosevelt's New Deal economic programs during the
Great Depression.
Against the backdrop of the Tidal Basin,
Berryman playfully depicts Roosevelt as a kind
of New Deal Cherry Blossom King presiding over a parade of senators,
each championing various causes for hopeful New Deal funding.
More poignant is this 1939 cartoon by Herbert Block, known as Herblock.
The caption says, "The cherry blossoms were beautiful
but the olive branches aren't doing so well."
And Roosevelt is shown as an anxious gardener trying
to nurture a fragile peace.   Many people wonder what happened
to the cherry blossoms during World War II,
and we found this photograph showing throngs of people
at the Tidal Basin in 1945.
It's an astonishing image, isn't it, Mari?
Yes, it is.
In March 1945, people were suffering so much from the World War II.
Therefore, I had never imagined people enjoying viewing
cherry blossoms.
Although this image still surprises me whenever I look at it,
I am glad that Washingtonians kept loving the gift even during the
War time.
So, do you have any clue who these people are, Katherine?
Many are in the U.S. armed services uniform,
including the woman near the front and center who is a Marine.
And, in fact, the National Cherry Blossom Festival was suspended
during the War, and the name
of the trees was changed to Oriental Cherries.
But you see the crowds still came.   Next we move forward in time
and toward the National Cherry Blossom Festival,
with two classic views of the Tidal Basin.
Anyone who has been there in person will probably recognize this angle
as one of the ideal spots for taking pictures.
We couldn't resist including this classic picture postcard
which pairs beautifully with this contemporary photograph
by Carol Highsmith.
Highsmith has been documenting the cities, towns, and countryside
of 21st century America and donating the images, copyright-free,
to ensure worldwide access and preservation.
In fact, if you visit our website,
you can find many wonderful examples.
And now, we have a special treat --
our own Cherry Blossom Princess, Emily Howie.
Hello. My name is Emily Howie and I'm a Reference Specialist
in the Main Reading Room of the Library.
I would like to talk about the National Cherry Blossom Festival
and, in particular, the Cherry Blossom Princesses.
In the Washington, D.C. area, are civic
and social organizations called State or Territorial Societies.
Activities by the State Societies provide a way for people to meet
and socialize with other individuals from their home state.
The umbrella organization
for the State Societies is the National Conference
of State Societies.
It was the State Societies, along with D.C. Commissioners
and the Washington Board of Trade that worked
to revive the National Cherry Blossom Festival
in 1948, following World War II.
State Societies select the Cherry Blossom Princesses.
Under the rules of the Cherry Blossom Princess Program,
Princesses must be between the ages of 19 and 24.
Since 1948, more than 3,000 young women have participated
in the Princess Program including daughters of presidents,
congressmen, and senators.
Cherry Blossom Princesses participate in educational,
leadership, and cultural activities as they represent their state,
and act as cultural ambassadors for both their state and country.
This is a picture of the Georgia float
in the 1971 Cherry Blossom Parade.
That is me standing on the front of the float.
The Princess in 1971 was Fran Hagan,
daughter of the late Georgia Congressman, George Hagan.
Georgia has always honored their Princesses in a big way.
There is a ball where the Princess is crowned.
The Princess has a court.
Members of the court are presented along with their escorts.
All of the women in this picture were members of the court
of the Georgia Cherry Blossom Princess in 1971.
I was a member of the court
for the Georgia Princesses of 1971, 1972, and 1973.
In 1974, when I was 19 years old, I was honored to be selected
as the Princess representing Georgia
in the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
I came home from college for a week to participate
in Cherry Blossom activities, which included tea
at the Japanese Embassy, where the Japanese Ambassador
at the time presented each Princess with one
of these lovely beaded evening bags.
At the end of the week of activities there is a grand ball.
Each Princess and her escort are presented.
The Cherry Blossom Queen is selected
by the Japanese Ambassador spinning a big wheel --
yes, like the game show, Wheel of Fortune, --
which contains the names of all the states and territories.
Whichever state or territory the wheel stops on,
that Princess becomes the Cherry Blossom Queen.
My most vivid memory of the Cherry Blossom Ball
in 1974 is watching the wheel spin and hoping
that it would not land on Georgia.
The Cherry Blossom Queen and her escort had to perform a solo dance
in front of everyone attending the ball,
and I was absolutely terrified.
I was delighted and relieved when the wheel stopped on Pennsylvania.
Miss Pennsylvania was a lovely, tall redhead who danced beautifully.
Since I happened to learn a few years ago
that Emily was a 1974 Princess, it actually encouraged me more
to develop the exhibition.
I thought it was wonderful that the Library's resources related
to cherry blossom are not limited only to materials,
but also to the Library's personnel.
Through the 2012 National Cherry Blossom Festival official event
coordination, the Library had an opportunity
to acquire a new collection--
The National Conference of State Societies' cherry blossom historical
brochures, starting from the first one in 1948.
They plan to send upcoming brochures, as well.
At the donation ceremony, four former Princesses, including,
of course, Emily, the 1948 Princess from Maine,
and all of the 2012 Princesses gathered at the Library.
This is a facsimile copy of a picture
from the 1948 Cherry Blossom Festival,
which was also donated to the Library.
We are now almost at the end of our tour.
The last items, which Carroll will discuss,
also came to the Library as gifts.
[Background Music] As a way to bring the exhibition full circle
and to connect with the community, we selected three images
from the 2011 D.C. Photo Contest in conjunction
with the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Photographers were asked to submit entries in three categories;
Events, People, and Landscapes.
This landscape image is titled "Reflections
of Spring" by Bernard Chen.
The image shows a blooming cherry tree on the Tidal Basin
which reconnects us back to those landmark cherry trees of 1912.
If you would like to learn more about this exhibition,
please go online to myloc.gov/ exhibitions/cherry-blossoms.
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