Sakura Park, located on Riverside Drive next the Riverside Cathedral and across the street from Grant’s Tomb, was the site of a huge party in 1909 commemorating the 100th anniversay of Fulton’s Historic Steamboat Cruise up the Hudson River. For the celebration the Japanese were going to present the city with 2,000 Sakura Trees, Sakura means Cherry Blossom in Japanese. Ironically the steamer carrying the trees was lost at sea. They made the delivery again in 1912 and the trees were planted in Riverside and Sakura Park where they were in full bloom today.
