Festa da Cerejeira is a festival held by the Japanese community in Campos do Jordão (São Paulo) and with the support of the Municipality's official department. A "cerejeira" is a cherry-tree and the first cherry trees coming from Japan were planted in 1936 on the occasion of the inauguration of Sanatorium Dojinkai. They were of "Takasago" type and have adapted well to the climate of Campos do Jordão. In 1937, to commemorate the founding of the Colony Lageado, Dr. Shizue Hosoe sent 10 seedlings of Taizan, Botan and Amazon types, planted by the settlers of the region. Campos do Jordao was the only region in Brazil where the Japanese cherry trees blossomed effectively, acclimating well to the weather of Mantiqueira.
The flowering of the cherry trees began to attract Japanese people from various regions of the State. The number of visitors grew from year to year, which gave the authorities of the town the idea of creating an event with musical festivities, dances, craft fair to welcome these visitors.On October 5, 1968, the Mayor in office, Arakaki Masakasu sanctioned a law of the City Council, authored by Councilman Fausto Bueno de Arruda Camargo, instituting the Cherry Festival in flower (Festival da Cerejeira Em Flor). (Edited and translated to English by me from this source)
My Commentary: I confess I didn't know much about this festival, I went there just to accompany my family but I got surprised by what I saw. As an admirer of the Japanese culture, I was amazed by the quantity of things available there. Food, music, decoration, dance, presentations, etc. The true Japanese culture is still there, being the majority of people around me of Asian features (not like some Italian festivals in Brazil which don't even have Italians or descendants). I could take a lot of pictures, buy my senbei crackers and other food I appreciate and also watch to many presentations, apart of seeing the cherry tree, what is supposed to be the main attraction (but surely not for me).
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