The Cherry Blossom Festival “Sakura” took place yesterday in front of the Lodge “Herceg Stjepan Kosaca” in Mostar, and as part of it, a Japanese tea ceremony and the planting of cherry blossom trees in Zrinjevac Park were organized.
Alongside the host, Mayor of Mostar Mario Kordic, the festival was attended by Toshiko Ito, President of the “IPIL-IPIL no KAI” organization, and Narine Sahakyan, the Resident Representative of UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
The Mayor of Mostar reminded everyone that the story of Japanese cherry blossoms in Mostar has been going on for 18 years, and this is the first time that the Cherry Blossom Festival is being celebrated in the City on the Neretva River.
“This is a special story in Japan, where the Cherry Blossom Festival lasts for a month, and it means a lot to them. We want to share this fine story with the citizens of Mostar. I hope this will be the beginning of a beautiful tradition, where we gather every year at the same or a similar time to enjoy the cherry blossoms,” emphasized Kordic.
He added that the cooperation between the Government of Japan and the City of Mostar dates back to 2000 when the Japanese government donated buses to Mostar and provided significant funding for the healthcare system.
Bojan Spasojevic from the Mostar City Administration emphasized that he has been working on the promotion, planting, and distribution of Cherry Blossom trees in Mostar for 16 years together with the “IPIL-IPIL no KAI” organization.
“They have significant traditional value for the Japanese. Since the 6th century, there has been a tradition called “Hanami,” practiced in Japan, which consists of admiring the beauty and transience of cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms were first planted in Mostar in 2006, and according to Japanese belief, each fallen petal brings peace to the land, so the number of petals that fall during one year is equivalent to that. We have planted 220 Cherry Blossom trees in the Mostar area,” Spasojevic pointed out.
The event was also greeted by Narine Sahakyan, the Resident Representative of UNDP in BiH, who said she was pleased to attend a festival that celebrates life and maintains Japanese cultural tradition.
“I wish you all to enjoy today’s event, these beautiful flowers, and to spend a wonderful spring day celebrating life,” Sahakyan said yesterday.
At the festival, awards were given for the promotion of Japanese culture and support for the spread of Japanese cherry blossoms (sakura) in the Mostar area, as well as prizes to elementary school students for drawing competitions.
A Japanese tea ceremony was held, and cherry blossom trees were collectively planted in Zrinjevac Park.
The festival’s interesting and diverse program was enriched by performances by the Croatian Brass Band and the Mostar Majorettes, BHRT writes.
E.Dz.
