Consulate-General of Japan in Houston

On November 17, Consul-General of Japan Jota Yamamoto attended the ceremony to present cherry trees in commemoration of the Japan-U.S. Cherry Blossom Centennial at the Japanese Garden in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. Many people attended the ceremony including the Honorable Dennis Shingleton, Councilmember of the City of Fort Worth on behalf of the Honorable Mayor Betsy Price, the Honorable John Stich, Honorary Consul-General of Japan, Mr. Henry Painter, Director of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, Mr. Don Casey, President of the Japan-America Society in Dallas/ Fort Worth, Mr. Harvey Yamagata, President of the Fort Worth Japanese Association and many others.

The ceremony commenced with a taiko drum performance by the local group “Dondoko Daiko”. In his remarks (link), Consul-General Yamamoto celebrated the success of the Grassroots Summit held in North Texas including Fort Worth and expressed his expectation for the expansion of the friendship developed throughout the Summit with the 20 cherry saplings as symbol of the friendship between Japan and the U.S. Councilmember Shingleton expressed his appreciation for the gift of cherry trees and said that Fort Worth was honored to be chosen as one of the locations to receive trees this year.

The Fort Worth Botanic Garden will take care of the saplings in a greenhouse until they grow to an appropriate size to be planted in the Garden.

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