A duck sits in the water during the Japanese Friendship Garden’s festival welcoming Spring March 24, 2018. (Nicole Neri/DD)
The Japanese Friendship Garden hosts a festival every year known as “Haru in the Garden” to welcome the spring season. The celebration includes art, vendors and performances by musicians and dancers.
Paper lanterns lined the walkways for the Japanese Friendship Garden’s festival welcoming Spring March 24, 2018. (Nicole Neri/DD)A duckling floats above Koi fish during the Japanese Friendship Garden’s ceremony welcoming Spring March 24, 2018. (Nicole Neri/DD)
Visitors were able to stroll around the garden and enjoy flower arrangements from local artists, as well as performances from traditional instruments such as Taiko drums.
Performers play Taiko drums outside of the Japanese Friendship Garden to entertain guests as they wait to enter before the Japanese Friendship Garden’s festival welcoming Spring March 24, 2018. (Nicole Neri/DD)A Koi fish comes to the surface near the edge of a pond at the Japanese Friendship garden, which was lined with candles during the garden’s ceremony welcoming Spring March 24, 2018. (Nicole Neri/DD)
The event brought spectators of all kinds, from members of the garden to those who found out about the event through word of mouth or by friends who extended invitations.
Heather Allen sits by the edge of the water, feeding Koi fish and ducks with food the garden provides during the Japanese Friendship Garden’s ceremony welcoming Spring March 24, 2018. (Nicole Neri/DD)
“I love the floral arrangements, and the Koi fish, of course,” said Victoria Valead, a first-time visitor to the garden. “It’s just really beautiful here.”
Attendees watch as musicians and a flamenco dancer perform during the Japanese Friendship Garden’s ceremony welcoming Spring March 24, 2018. (Nicole Neri/DD)
One of the most popular attractions is the traditional tea ceremony. The garden flies out two people from Japan to conduct the ceremony so as to not stray away from tradition.
A Flamenco dancer and guitar player entertain guests at the Japanese Friendship Garden’s ceremony welcoming Spring March 24, 2018. (Nicole Neri/DD)
“It’s a set of gestures, movements involved around serving tea to the customers that have remained unchanged for hundreds of years,” said Della Killeen, director of horticulture at the garden.
