CAMP ZAMA, Japan – More than 17,000 U.S. and Japanese visitors were here Saturday to celebrate spring and view the iconic titular blooms during the installation’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival.
The event serves as a celebration and continuation of the longstanding tradition of Camp Zama opening its gates and inviting neighbors and friends from outside the installation to enjoy the cherry blossoms, entertainment such as live music and games, and refreshments from a variety of food vendors, said Col. Marcus Hunter, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Japan.
The line of visitors waiting to come onto the installation grew so long that the commander decided to open the gates to visitors earlier than the posted start time of the event because he didn’t want them to wait.
“We opened the gates early so we could invite [visitors] early on to enjoy the beautiful scenery,” Hunter said.
The event was a success, Hunter said, because of the teamwork of many directorates and personnel who coordinated to offer a fun and safe event. These included the Directorate of Emergency Services, the United States Army Aviation Battalion Japan, Public Health Command – Pacific, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, local city partners, first responders, and others.
Randy Benton, the special events coordinator assigned to Camp Zama’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, said the planning process for the festival begins at least six months in advance in order to arrange vendors and entertainment. MWR staff works with USAG Japan and other garrison directorates year-round to ensure the events occur with minimal setbacks, he said.
“Together, we ensure that all the working pieces that are needed to execute an event of this scale [are] planned, reviewed and executed,” Benton said.
A record number of visitors were on the installation for the event just two hours after the gates were opened, Benton said. Based on the positive feedback he received and witnessed from Camp Zama community members and guests, Benton echoed the garrison commander and declared the event a success.
Open-post events like the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Independence Day and Bon Odori festivals in the summer help to foster new relationships with Camp Zama’s host-nation neighbors because they provide them the opportunity to be a part of the U.S. military community.
“It is important that we show our host nation that we appreciate the opportunity to live and work in their country by hosting events like these,” Benton said. “Ultimately, the success of these events depends on the attendance and support that we get from the local community.”
Maika Hirose said she and her children and friends regularly try to attend Camp Zama’s open-post events. This was their third time attending the Cherry Blossom Festival, and Hirose said she looks forward to the opportunity to picnic in such an open space with a great view of cherry blossoms, eating and drinking festival fare while her children play.
“I couldn’t wait for this year’s festival because it’s been a while since the last one,” Hirose said. “I love Camp Zama’s open-post events, so I hope they will continue to host them for the community.”
There are more than 1,100 cherry trees throughout Camp Zama that garrison personnel maintain. The festival is scheduled each year to hopefully be in line with the peak blossoming period for the best possible scenery during the event.
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