Cherry Trees Arrive in Washington After Overcoming Setbacks

First Lady Helen Taft and Japanese officials plant the first cherry trees along the Tidal Basin in 1912

Mar. 21, 2026 at 11:25pm

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In 1909, Japanese officials gifted 2,000 cherry blossom trees to the United States, but the trees were found to be diseased and infested with insects upon arrival in Washington, D.C. in 1910, leading to their destruction. Over the next two years, a new shipment of 6,000 healthy cherry trees was carefully inspected and sent to both Washington and New York City. On March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Taft and the wife of the Japanese ambassador planted the first two trees along the Tidal Basin, marking the start of the annual Cherry Blossom Festival tradition.

Why it matters

The arrival of the cherry trees in Washington, D.C. was the result of a decades-long effort by travel writer Eliza Scidmore to beautify the National Mall. It also represented an important diplomatic gesture between the U.S. and Japan, as the trees became a symbol of the countries' friendship. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival that began in 1935 has since become a beloved tradition that draws millions of visitors to the nation's capital.

The details

In 1909, Tokyo mayor Yukio Ozaki coordinated with his city council to gift 2,000 cherry blossom trees to the United States. The trees arrived in Washington, D.C. in January 1910, but were found to be diseased and infested with insects by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As a result, the trees were destroyed. Over the next two years, a new shipment of 6,000 carefully inspected and treated cherry trees was sent from Japan, with half going to Washington and half to New York City. On March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Taft and Iwa Chinda, the wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two trees along the Tidal Basin in a ceremony also attended by Eliza Scidmore and David Fairchild.

  • In 1909, Tokyo mayor Yukio Ozaki coordinated the gift of 2,000 cherry blossom trees to the United States.
  • The initial shipment of 2,000 trees arrived in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 1910.
  • Over the next two years, a new shipment of 6,000 carefully inspected and treated cherry trees was sent from Japan.
  • On March 27, 1912, the first two cherry trees were planted along the Tidal Basin.
  • The annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. began in 1935.

The players

Eliza Scidmore

A renowned travel journalist who had been campaigning for decades to bring cherry blossom trees to Washington, D.C.

David Fairchild

A USDA employee who had introduced many crops from around the world to the United States, including cherry trees that he planted at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Yukio Ozaki

The mayor of Tokyo who coordinated the gift of 2,000 cherry blossom trees to the United States.

Helen Taft

The First Lady of the United States who worked to beautify the National Mall, including by planting the first two cherry trees along the Tidal Basin.

Iwa Chinda

The wife of the Japanese ambassador to the United States who joined First Lady Taft in planting the first cherry trees.

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What they’re saying

“For a long time before Mr. Taft became president I had looked with ambitious designs upon the similar possibilities presented in the drives, the river-cooled air and the green swards of Potomac Park.”

— Helen Taft, First Lady of the United States

“Thank you very much for your suggestion about the cherry trees. I have taken the matter up and am promised the trees, but I thought perhaps it would be best to make an avenue of them, extending down to the turn in the road, as the other part is still too rough to do any planting. Of course, they could not reflect in the water, but the effect would be very lovely of the long avenue. Let me know what you think about this.”

— Helen Taft, First Lady of the United States

What’s next

The annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. continues to this day, with the First Lady typically in attendance to celebrate the enduring symbol of friendship between the United States and Japan.

The takeaway

The story of the cherry trees' arrival in Washington, D.C. highlights the power of perseverance and diplomacy. Eliza Scidmore's decades-long campaign to bring the trees to the nation's capital, and the careful handling of the initial setback by the Taft administration, ultimately led to the creation of a beloved annual tradition that has endured for over a century.