Goshiki Cherry Blossom Festival 2012 五色桜まつり
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The road leading to Toshi Nogyo Koen Park is lined with many cherry blossom trees.
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In April, cherry blossoms of many varieties bloom for about 2 weeks during which they hold the annual Goshiki Sakura Matsuri cherry blossom festival.
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Front gate to Toshi Nogyo Park. The Goshiki Cherry Blossoms Festival centers on the weekends while the flowers are in bloom. These photos were taken on April 22, 2012.
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This area of Adachi Ward was originally Kohoku Village which was famous for colorful varieties of cherry blossoms. Literally called "goshiki" or five colors.
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Map of the Kohoku area.
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These cherry trees are from America. The park has 29 species of cherry blossoms. Most of them, like these Kanzan trees, bloom later than the Somei Yoshino trees.
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These trees were planted here 30 years ago from American saplings taken from cherry trees which originally came from Adachi Ward in 1912. They are called "homecoming trees" (里帰りの桜).
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This area of the park has many varieties of cherry trees from America.
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The sakura matsuri is centered on this circular lawn fringed with cherry blossoms.
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They have flower vendors and food vendors.
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Cherry tree saplings for sale. (Cheap)
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Wisteria saplings even.
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Food for sale.
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Cherry blossom rice ball.
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Manju
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The cherry trees in this park bloom later than the popular Somei Yoshino variety.
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All the cherry trees have a tag or sign indicating the species.
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The tag identifies the tree/flowers in the photos it follows.
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This is along the Arakawa River. They used to have over 3,000 cherry trees along 6 km or riverbank about a century ago.
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Monument for cherry trees along the Arakawa River.
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They are trying to reproduce the "five-colored" cherry trees along the Arakawa River like a century ago.
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Rest house and restaurant in the park.
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Sakura ice cream.
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A portable shrine was carried around the park.
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Parading a mikoshi portable shrine in the park. Beyond those trees is Arakawa River.
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Mikoshi amid rapeseed blossoms.
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Portable shrine bearers pose for photo.
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As part of the festivities, two Makushita sumo wrestlers from Tamanoi sumo stable (run by former Ozeki Tochiazuma) in Adachi gave sumo demonstrations and entertainment.
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Sumo wrestler with kids at Toshi Nogyo Park in Adachi Ward, Tokyo.
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Wrestling with kids amid cherry blossoms from America.
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Train around the sumo ring.
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One rascal kid is trying to undo the wrestler's mawashi.
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This thin man challenged the sumotori.
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He was lifted up and out.
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Now a young woman enters the ring.
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She is carried out. The wrestlers gave us lots of good laughs and entertainment.
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The Tananoi Stable sumo wrestlers were Irie (left) and Sakaguchi. Very friendly. Thank you guys!
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Local taiko drummers also performed.
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By late afternoon, most of the crowd had dissipated.
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Still carrying around the mikoshi.
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Mikoshi portable shrine and cherry blossoms.
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At this Koryu Kaikan hall in the park, they had an exhibition and slide show lectures.
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At the Koryu Kaikan hall in the park, they had an exhibition.
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At this Koryu Kaikan hall in the park, they had an exhibition.
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Also see my video of the festival here (includes the cherry blossom centennial ceremony).
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