Every year, when the weather starts to get warmer, we eagerly await the arrival of sakura, the soft pink and delicate Japanese cherry blossoms that mark the arrival of spring.
At U of T Scarborough, we have our own hotspot, called Sakura Grove. Located in the walkway between the Humanities Wing and the Social Sciences building, the flowers are just about to blossom.
In the spring of 2000, the Sakura Project was established by the Consulate General of Japan, and donated more than 3,000 cherry blossom trees across public spaces in Ontario between 2001 and 2012.
Fifty sakura trees were gifted to U of T Scarborough in 2005 and planted as a symbol of friendship between Japan and Ontario.
In Japanese culture, the cherry blossoms are not just a symbol of spring, but of renewal and the impermanent yet beautiful nature of life itself.
In Japan, the tradition of gathering to view the blossomed flowers is called hanami. Festivities during viewing parties include eating and drinking under the trees. The word yozakura means to experience the flowers at night.
In addition to the trees planted at U of T Scarborough, 70 trees were gifted to U of T’s St. George campus.
With the help of steady weather, the ornate flowers last just short of two weeks in bloom.
Didn’t get a chance to see them on campus? Swipe through the gallery below to see how #UofTBlooms.
