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Tokyo and Washington, D.C., celebrated 110 years of cherry blossoms and friendship Sunday at the U.S. capital's Cherry Blossom Festival opening ceremony.
The Cherry Blossom Festival is a celebration of the beautiful, flowering pink trees which dot the streets of the nation's capital. The original 3,000 trees were a gift to D.C. from the mayor of Tokyo in 1912.
This year's festivities included acts from local Washington D.C. groups and Japanese artists, all hosted by StormWatch7's Veronica Johnson and samurai artist Yoshi Omao. Special messages and video greetings were presented by first lady Jill Biden and the National Park Service.
2022 Cherry Blossom Festival Ribbon Cutting
Mayor Muriel Bowser, one of the keynote speakers, told the audience the festival was a message to the world that "D.C. is open." However, the event required attendees to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and wear masks.
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"Now we can actually smell the blossoms," the mayor remarked, "…in all eight wards."
Japanese Ambassador Koji Tomita gave remarks at the event, reflecting on the history of the trees and their symbolism.
"110 years ago, as a gift of friendship, the mayor of Tokyo donated 3,000 trees," the ambassador stated. "That gift has blossomed."
The ambassador made a brief observation of the end of the pandemic, as well as the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Shamasen expert Keisho Ohno performing at 2022 Cherry Blossom Festival Ribbon Cutting. (Timothy H.J. Nerozzi/Fox News Digital)
"[The festival] will be a celebration of the most important values we cherish – freedom," Koji stated. "We remind ourselves of how precious freedom is, having lived under the shadow of the pandemic for years."
He continued, "Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom."
"[Japan and the U.S.] have a multilayered relationship," said Yuki Sugiyama, public affairs officer for the Japanese Embassy in D.C. "We believe in the power of culture, and cherry blossoms represent renewal."
Sugiyama has served with the Japanese embassy for three years, but due to the pandemic, this was his first real experience with the festival.
There is no comparable celebration to the festival, Sugiyama told Fox News Digital in an interview, saying, "So far as I know, this event is special."
Entertainers who flew in for the opening ceremony included: Samurai artist troupe Kamui, shamisen expert Keisho Ohno, taiko drummer Toshihiro Yuta, and musical group Minyo Crusaders.
U.S. performers included the Unstoppable Steppers, a D.C.-based stepping group, and DJ Heat.
Samurai artist Kamui demonstration at 2022 Cherry Blossom Festival Ribbon Cutting. (Timothy H.J. Nerozzi/Fox News Digital)
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Samurai artist Tetsuro Shimaguchi, the master of the Kamui troupe, spoke to Fox News Digital on Thursday.
Shimaguchi is training a new generation of youth from around the world in the ways of the sword, as well as the warrior's mindset.
Tetsuro has visited 140 cities, operates dojo in multiple countries, and oversees the largest samurai-centric cultural preservation campaign in the world.
2022 Cherry Blossom Festival Ribbon Cutting. (Timothy H.J. Nerozzi/Fox News Digital)
He arrived in D.C. on Wednesday ahead of his performance at the city's Cherry Blossom Festival opening ceremony.
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