U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen visits the governor

On Friday, May 20, Reichel Bohn, who was crowned the 68th U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen during the 2016 National Cherry Blossom Festival, paid a courtesy call on Governor Masuzoe.

The festival is held every year in Washington, D.C. to commemorate the gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Japan, which were presented to the United States in 1912 as a symbol of friendship between the two countries. This year, the governor attended the festival during his visit to the United States.

At the meeting, the governor said, “I am glad that the National Cherry Blossom Festival has grown into the No. 1 festival in the United States. I hope the beautiful blossoms will help deepen the friendly relationship between Japan and the United States. Let’s work together to make the festival even more vibrant and exciting.”

The meeting was also attended by Aiko Masuda, who was named the 26th Japan Cherry Blossom Queen at a selection ceremony hosted by the Japan Cherry Blossom Association.