2025-12-11
Sakura Project

On Wednesday morning 10 December 2025, 16 new Japanese cherries were planted by Red Squirrel in the cemetery. The trees are a gift from the people of Japan, thanks to the Sakura Project. 

The Sakura Project started in the 2019-20 Japan-UK Season of Culture and celebrates continuing collaboration and friendship between the two nations. We applied for this back in February 2024, and almost 2 years later, here they are!

Fulham Cemetery has been known for its Japanese cherries since the 1950s (read our article), and the Friends have sought since our inception to preserve this legacy, starting with the 23 cherries planted in winter 2023. 

The 16 new trees were planted exactly where we intended:

• An avenue of white blossoms right in the center of the cemetery, sure to become a major attraction in years to come (7 trees).

• All gaps filled along the Munster Road avenue (4 trees).

• 5 trees informally planted in the southeast section along Fulham Palace Road, visible to passers-by, bus passengers, and neighbouring houses.

All but 2 of the trees are Tai Haku, the 'great white' cherry, the favourite of Collingwood Ingram, who popularised Japanese cherries in the UK in the 1950s. The other 2 are pink Beni-Yutaka.

About the Sakura Project

The project is a legacy from the Japan-UK Season of Culture 2019-2021, which aimed to showcase Japan’s multifaceted attractions in the UK. The gift of these trees enables people to learn more about Japan, its culture and traditions. It is the intention of this project to plant across the whole of the United Kingdom so that each spring there is a wave of cherry blossom across the country.

The Japan-British Society, Tokyo

The Japan-British Society was founded in 1908 to encourage the study of all things British and to promote cordial relations between the peoples of the United Kingdom and Japan. Today this thriving body has over 1,700 members and is supported by some 80 Japanese and British companies. It provides an important and attractive forum within which members of both nationalities can meet on an informal and friendly basis, with an interest in all things British as the common denominator. The Society offers British members an unrivalled opportunity to find out more about Japan and the Japanese, and the many activities allow frequent social contact.

The Sakura Cherry Tree Planting Project 

Following the “Japan-UK Joint Declaration on Prosperity Cooperation” made by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Theresa May, the two leaders welcomed a proposal from the Japanese private sector to donate many cherry blossom trees to the UK as a symbol of our relationship.

The “Sakura Team” was created, headed by Mr. Sandy Sano of the Japan Association in the UK and supported by the Japan-British Society in Japan headed by Mr. T. Tsukamoto. The team is now engaged in “The Sakura Cherry Tree Planting Project” in the UK, which aims to have 10,000 trees planted across the United Kingdom.