How the Japanese cherry blossom ritual came to Germany

In Japan, blooming cherry trees (sakura) are more than just a spring ritual. The cherry blossom symbolizes the bond between man and nature. People celebrate the pink abundance with picnics under cherry trees and trips to places with the best view of the blooming flora — after first consulting special forecast maps with information about peak blossom times.

This integral part of Japanese culture is based on the philosophy of “mono no aware” — an appreciation of impermanence.

The blooms last for about ten days, a period also eagerly awaited in Germany.

Asian culture in Germany

“Among the branches of the cherry trees in bloom, no one is a stranger here,” reads a small bronze plaque on a memorial stone in former East Berlin.

On the outskirts of the city, at the site of so-called “death strip” that ran paralell to the Berlin Wall to discourage escape attempts, Japanese citizens initiated and collected donations to plant a thousand cherry trees. The project celebrated the unification of East and West Germany in the early 1990s.

This long avenue of Japanese cherry trees has been known as Japaneck (Japanese Corner) since 1996.

Supported by the TV Asahi Network, the trees were planted by the Japanese Sakura Organizing Committee, with the memorial stone marking the significance of a touching gesture.

Here, too, the Japanese ritual of the cherry blossom festival signals the arrival of spring as people gather at Japaneck for a picnic under the blossoming cherry tree branches. Locals gather with Japanese and international visitors alike to enjoy the iconic spring celebration together.

Why travel to Japan for the cherry blossom festival?

The trees with the iconic pink and white blossoms can be found not only in Berlin, but across Germany.

At the most popular destinations, blossom barometers also indicate the best time for a visit.

These cherry trees made varied journeys to different parts of Germany.

The trees found their way to then German capital Bonn in the 1980s when a municipal town planner decided on the ornamental cherry trees over another tree species that was unavailable.

Bonn now boasts a famous cherry blossom avenue that attracts hordes of both locals and international tourists.

Cherry trees in memory of Hiroshima

Hannover, which is Hiroshima’s twin city, also enjoys annual cherry blossoms. Here, the focus is on remembrance.

The Hiroshima Memorial Grove has 50 Japanese cherry trees and was inaugurated in December, 1987.

By 1989, another 60 trees were added to commemorate the 110,000 people killed by the atomic bomb in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

Each of the 110 cherry trees represents 1,000 victims.

This article was originally writtten in German.