
Last Friday, Kaori and I made our way up to High Park to see the Cherry Blossoms for Spring 2010! These Cherry Blossoms (Sakura trees) are such a wonderful celebration to see and experience in Toronto as they mark the end of winter! It is an old Japanese tradition of Sakura Hanami which is roughly translated as “cherry blossom flower viewing” and typically occurs in late April – early May. Toronto’s winter is just too harsh and cold, even for these most cold tolerant flowering cherry tree species! I’ve been told that these flowers don’t last very long as they fall very quickly and if you want to catch a glimpse of these photos, you only have about a 1-2 week window to go! Sakura blossoms are seen as a metaphor for life itself, luminous and beautiful, yet fleeting and ephemeral.
History of High Park’s Sakura Trees
In 1959, the Japanese ambassador to Canada, Toru-Hagiwara, presented 2000 Japanese Somei-Yoshino Sakura trees to the citizens of Toronto on behalf of the citizens of Tokyo. The trees were planted in appreciation of Toronto accepting re-located Japanese-Canadians following the Second World War. Many of these trees were planted on the hillside overlooking Grenadier Pond (immediately southwest of the Grenadier Café) and around the west shore of the pond.
In 1984, a grove of Japanese cherry trees were planted along a pathway west of the Children’s Adventure Playground in High Park. The trees were donated by Yoriki and Midori Iwasaki as a special gift to the people of Toronto and “a joyful symbol of life”.
Through the Consulate General of Japan in Toronto’s “Sakura Project”, 34 Yoshino ‘Akebono’ and Kwanzan ‘Fugenzo’ Sakura trees were donated toHigh Park in 2001 on the west shore of Grenadier Pond near the Maple Leaf garden. In 2006, 16 additional Yoshino Sakura trees were planted near the original 1959 planting site.
Plaques commemorating each of the plantings can be found under the cherry trees in High Park.
Source: High Park’s Cherry Blossom Website

Image Source: High Park’s Cherry Blossom Website
There are two walks that you can take at High Park to see these trees. Walk 1 involves a 30-45 minute walk along the paved trails which can also be quite steep in some places. This walk is definitely worth it as you’ll see the most beautiful views of High Park’s Sakura trees as well as Grenadier Pond and Hillside Gardens. Also watch for Baltimore Orioles that have just migrated back to the park feeding on nectar from the Sakura blossoms! I didn’t manage to see any while I was there though..
I didn’t do Walk 2 but this walk features the grove of Sakura trees donated by the Iwasaki family in 1984 as well as the Children’s Adventure Playground and the Lower Duck Pond. While there are fewer Sakura trees on this 20 minute walk, this walk will be good for your little ones :)
Below are photos I took while I was on Walk 1. You will get a little viewing of some of these truly beautiful flowers! It of course is not the same to viewing them up close with your own eyes.




High Park becomes a photographer’s heaven at this time of year. From amateur to professional photographers, this is where they gather to capture this beautiful moment in Toronto. I didn’t see one group of people without a camera!



As mentioned a little bit earlier, there are some beautiful wildlife that come to stay at High Park.



These birds aren’t the only birds who come to enjoy High Park, but so do “Love Birds”.


And so do families and friends..

High Park also has other beautiful flowers such as this pretty pink one below.

Location & How To Get There
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The most convenient and easy way I find is to take the TTC to High Park station (on the Bloor line) and just as you cross Bloor Street, you’ll see High Park. It’s too big to miss!
If you prefer to drive, there’s free parking available at the Grenadier Restaurant (enter the park from the intersection of Bloor Street and High Park Avenue and follow the one-way loop to the Grenadier Restaurant in the centre of the park) and the lot immediately east of the Zoo (enter the park from the intersection of High Park Blvd and Parkside Drive).