Garden of the Phoenix Offers the First Cherry Blossom Viewing Festival in Chicago

People enjoy cherry blossoms in full bloom in Chicago’s Jackson Park

  The 129 year-old Garden of the Phoenix became the official Cherry Blossom Viewing site in Chicago, and the first annual Hanami, or Cherry Blossom Viewing, festival was held on May first.

   With the first trees planted 10 years ago, over 170 cherry trees in and around the Garden of the Phoenix in Jackson Park drew tens of thousands of visitors at the peak of their blossom. The Garden of the Phoenix and surrounding area is located on the south-side of the Museum of Science and Industry and a cross the lagoon to the east of the Obama Presidential Center currently under construction.  

Taiko drumming performance by Tsukasa Taiko

   The Hanami festival was organized by the Japanese Arts Foundation in partnership with Japanese Culture Center, Chicago Park District, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chicago (JCCC), Consulate General of Japan in Chicago, Garden of the Phoenix Foundation, Japanese classical dance troop of Shubukai and Tsukasa Taiko. 

   This year, the cherry blossom trees began to bloom at the end of April and peaked over the first weekend of May. Louise McCurry, President of the Jackson Park Advisory Council, enthusiastically described the cherry trees as an expression of “Chicago’s commitment to its relationship to Japan and of peace among all people and all nations of the world.” 

   Over 170 cherry trees were planted in 2012 and 2013 by the Chicago Park District with support from the Garden of the Phoenix Foundation and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chicago (JCCC). 

   The majority of the trees were planted in the spring of 2013 for the 120th anniversary of the gift of the Ho-o-den (Phoenix Pavilion) by the Japan’s government to the City of Chicago following the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. An additional 50 trees were planted to commemorate JCCC’s 50th anniversary. According to sources close to the JCCC, an additional 60 trees will be soon planted by the JCCC to commemorate the Japanese business community’s continued commitment to Chicago.  

SKYLANDING by Yoko Ono (Photo: courtesy of Tsutomu Shibata)

   As trees have grown during the past decade, along with the installation of Yoko Ono’s SKYLANDING, the Garden of the Phoenix has emerged as one of the most important sites in the nation reflecting the entire history of U.S.-Japan relations. 

    In his greeting remarks, Hiroshi Tajima, the Consul General of Japan in Chicago, explained the legend of the Garden of the Phoenix. He stated that “The Japanese pavilion (Ho-o-den) in 1893 was modeled after the World Heritage site Byodoin Phoenix Hall in Uji city in Kyoto prefecture, which is also reflected in the name of the Garden of the Phoenix. I am delighted that, almost 130 years later, the Garden has grown into a symbol of friendship between Japan and the U.S.” 

   In 2016, SKYLANDING by Yoko Ono, her only permanent work in the Americas, emerged from the ashes of the Phoenix Pavilion which was lost to arson in 1946, following the end of the Pacific War between the United Stated and Japan. Ono’s vision is for SKYLANDING to invite visitors to enter the 12-patal lotus that rises from the ashes of the lost Ho-o-den and to realize that world peace begins within each of them. 

Visitors in the Phoenix Garden 

Sam Kaskouich

  Sam Kaskouich, a 5-year resident of Hyde Park frequently visits Jackson Park and the Japanese garden within the Garden of the Phoenix. “I run through Jackson Park all the time and stop by and visit, just walk around the garden. It’s peaceful, and I really like it,” Kaskouich said.

  He is about to graduate Medical School at the University of Chicago and soon will work as an E.R. doctor at a hospital in Colorado.

  Having parents who were both in journalism, Koskouich was interested in the history and read a book about the Columbian Exposition six months ago and was amazed by the big buildings in the world fair.

  He said, “I had been running through and looking around for four years, but I had no idea how long and what have been around here until recently. So it’s cool how well people maintained as it is today.” 

Daya Zapata

   Daya Zapata was in a fancy dress to celebrate her “quince años” in a Japanese Garden. Maricela Zapata explained, “In Mexico when children turn 15 years old, we have a big dress and we celebrate turning into a young woman from a child.
   Daya talked about the reason to choose the garden for her quince años, “It’s a pretty place with a lot of flowers, beautiful. I like it, beautiful garden.”

   The Zapatas were interested in the history of the Garden of the Phoenix, SKYLANDING and age of a stone lantern which was standing there for about 130 years. 

Randy Shonkwiler

   Randy Shonkwiler lives in near the Phoenix Garden, only 20-minute walk. “I come to the park once or twice a week, mostly coming here for bird and butterfly watching,” he said.

   According to Shonkwiler, there would be over 300 bird species either passing through or nesting in the Wooded Island, especially, May is height of migration. There also schools of small fish are swimming in a pond in the Japanese garden.

   “Water running is peaceful, and I’ve seen birds taking a bath in a waterfall area. Here is nice,” he smiled. 

The Johnson Family

   The Johnson family came to the Japanese garden to honor their father who passed away last year. “This is a very good place and brings something like, some types of peace and calm. I know what is calm, so we came here,” said a member of the family. 

   William Seiyo Shehan comes to the Garden of the Phoenix every three to five days to witness the changes in the garden with a concept of 72 seasons in Japan.

   Being a Buddhist monk and practitioner of martial art Meifu Shinkage-ryu Shurikenjutsu, he connects himself to the nature.

William Seiyo Shehan

    “It’s interesting. In winter, it was all dead, and then everything comes up and changes. Sakura (cherry blossom) came up, and then they went, now the dogwood is in blooms, and azalea is coming out, so each of those changes, but soon they fall. It will be something different. I’m trying to put all that kind of changes together,” Shehan explained about 72 seasons.

   He takes photos of the plants and flowers in the 72 seasons, records every seasonal change and saves them in a book form. 

   Shehan also teaches how to make a haiku poetry within five-seven-five sound pattern. He had a haiku booth in the Hanami festival and Children’s Day on May 5. 

   Mami Takahashi was working on cracks on a stone, underneath of an outside stage in the Japanese garden. It seems to fix the cracks, but it is a part of public art activities planned by the Arts Foundation, the Chicago Park District and Takahashi to heal suffering people from the recent pandemic or Russian invasion to Ukraine.

   Takahashi employs a skill of kintsugi, Japan’s traditional method to stick broken piece of ceramics, and uses epoxy with gold powder instead using urushi lacquer.

   Takahashi will host her kintsugi workshop and exhibits in this fall with people from different neighborhoods for public betterment.