“Higurashi no sato jiin no rinsen” (Temple Gardens, Nippori), 1857, a woodblock print by Andō Hiroshige, via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
The view is from Ueno Hill of Shūsō-in, one of three Buddhist temple gardens known as Hanamidera or Flower-viewing Temples. This print is one of fifty in an album of Edo (present day Tokyo) by Hiroshige.
There’s a nice essay on cherishing the brief beauty of the cherry blossoms by Diane Durston in today’s Washington Post, here.
“Dancers and cherry blossoms, [Tidal Basin,] Washington, D.C.,” between 1923 and 1929, by Harris & Ewing, via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., began on March 20 and continues until April 12. This year, the National Park Service is predicting that peak bloom will occur between April 11 and 14.
The first Tidal Basin Yoshino cherry trees — a gift from the city of Tokyo — were planted in 1912. The first organized celebration of them was held in 1927, when D.C. schoolchildren reenacted the planting. The first Cherry Blossom Festival, which became the annual event, took place in 1935.
“Cherry Flower-Street, at Mukojima, Tokio,” ca. 1880s -90s, by Kimbei Kusakabe, via The New York Public Library Commons.
There’s a good article on the 2014 cherry blossom viewing (hanami) in Tokyo — which starts this week — here.
The arrival of the cherry blossom is keenly anticipated, with round-the-clock news reports providing updates on exactly where and when the fabled flowers will appear alongside all manner of sakura-themed promotions. Advertisements currently on display in the Tokyo Metro suggest that drinking Kirin beer will enhance the hanami experience, and should you be feeling peckish, McDonald’s has helpfully introduced a “cherry blossom burger”, complete with “pink buns”.
— Adrian Bridge, The Telegraph
*Photography Collection, Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs. A cherry blossom photo from the same collection here.
Akasaka, Tokyo, ca. 1890s, photographer unknown. The image is part of “The Album of Photographs of Japan,” via The New York Public Library* Commons on flickr.
Cherry blossoms (sakura) in Tokyo are expected to open on March 30 this year, with the peak bloom being about April 6 to 15.
In Washington, D.C., The National Cherry Blossom Festival will begin on Thursday, March 20, and continue through April 13. Click here and here for more information on events and local accommodations.
The Washington Post has predicted this year’s peak bloom to be about April 9.
*Photography Collection, Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs.
I want to share my recent discovery of D.C. Past, a tumblr blog that is “curating the photographic history” of Washington, D.C.
Kate Birmingham and Guillermo Esteves choose 19th and 20th century photos from the online catalogues of the Library of Congress and the National Archives. However, when shown on D.C. Past, the images are generally much larger and (pretty darn) sharp.
I love this early shot, below, of the Lincoln Memorial — the Reflecting Pool is still only a wetland.
Four years later. . .
You’ll have to go to D.C. Past, here and here, for the “much larger” part.
I like these swimmers below too. They’re in the Tidal Basin. And yesterday’s post was interesting — look at the (lack of) height of the fence.
(A link to the photo at the top is here.)
D.C. Past is still rather new; its first picture was posted in March 2013. But this makes it easy to catch up and get hooked.
enclos*ure 