Sakura Cherry Tree Project
Cherry trees planted to celebrate Japan – UK friendship
Three Japanese cherry trees have been planted in Llanfihangel Talyllyn as part of a UK wide project to celebrate the ongoing friendship between Japan and the UK. The trees are some of over 6000 cherry trees, or Sakura, given by the Japanese people to the people of the United Kingdom. They are being planted across the UK between 2019 and 2023 in parks, gardens and schools from St Ives to Aberdeen and Londonderry to Cardiff.
The trees were planted on Saturday 11th December on the Glebe Community field in Llanfihangel Talyllyn, an area of land owned by the Church in Wales and leased to Llangors Community Council as a recreation field. Welsh daffodil bulbs, provided by the Community Council, were also planted around the base of the trees.
Following the planting, two Japanese members of the local community, Nat Garrett, originally from Tokyo, and Shinobu Abbott, originally from Osaka, unveiled a commemorative plaque designed by the renowned Japanese artist Kenya Hara. Community Council Chairman, Simon Bailey, then presented Shinobu and Nat with traditional Welsh love-spoons as a symbolic return gift of friendship from the local community to the Japanese people.
Nat and her family who run a pub in the village, and Shinobu and her family who live in nearby Pennorth, served traditional Japanese refreshments ordered from Japan especially for the occasion. The drinks providing the opportunity for everyone to be taught a few words of Japanese for a celebratory toast, enriching a well attended and joyful occasion.
The national Sakura Cherry Tree Project was formally launched in 2019 with a planting ceremony in Regent’s Park, London attended by HRH The Duke of Gloucester, the Japanese Ambassador and the Chairman of the project Keisaku Sandy Sano. In a letter sent to participating organisations across the UK, Mr Sano wrote: ‘Your trees should blossom for many years, bringing colour and joy. We hope that each year, they can be at the heart of a festival in your community to welcome the coming of spring.’
The local project was co-ordinated by Community Councillor Mike Scruby whose son Tom, a former pupil at Llangors Primary School and Gwernyfed High School, has just taken up a research position at the National Institute of Informatics in Tokyo.
Mike said: “We were delighted to be chosen to be part of this project. Many people have told me what a fantastic display the Sakura trees provide each spring in Japan and I’m looking forward to being able to visit. In the mean-time we are already planning our own community celebration on the Glebe Community Field when the trees flower next spring.”
Photo courtesy of The Diocese of Swansea and Brecon