1 / 19

Highlighting the friendship of the Armenian and Japanese peoples and the strengthening of the cultural dialogue on April 15, in the National Assembly Park the Hanami festival, which symbolizes the tribute to the harvest, as well as the announcing of the time for rice growing, was celebrated. This year the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Armenia and Japan is celebrated.

“The culprits of the day are the sakuras, which bearing Japanese roots, have been fixed in the Armenian ground and have become the symbol of the Armenian-Japanese friendship,” the Expert on Japan, the Founder-Director of Arumenia-Nipon Armenian-Japanese Scientific-Cultural Union Anna Vardanyan stressed.

“When we speak about the relations and friendship between the two countries, I believe that the most important thing is that we shall mention the culture connecting the two countries,” the deputy of the NA Civil Contract Faction, the Head of Armenia-Japan Friendship Group Babken Tunyan said. The MP noted that this tradition of organizing the Hanami celebration in the NA grove was formed seven years ago, in 2015 by the efforts of Arumenia-Nipon Armenian-Japanese Scientific-Cultural Union. That year was the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the 70^th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. He has underlined that this celebration symbolizes not sadness, but rebirth.

The Counsellor of the Embassy of Japan to the Republic of Armenia Kazuya Harada welcomed the guests and called on the attendees to enjoy the beautiful sakuras - the spring symbol.

“Some people say that growing sakuras in the climatic conditions of Armenia is not so easy, but here the sakuras grow year by year and blossom, just in a way, how the Japanese-Armenian relations develop,” Kazuya Harada said.

“Our two ancient nations have their holidays dedicated to spring. We, Armenians celebrate Tsaghkazard (tree decoration) with the first flowering of spring, and the Japanese celebrate Hanami,” the President of the Armenian-Japanese Scientific-Cultural Center Hikari Karine Piliposyan said.

This year the sakuras were decorated by white and rosy coloured paper swans symbolizing peace.