A few weeks ago, we promised more details about plans for the Hanami Line, a cherry blossom park along the Sacramento River at Robert T. Matsui Waterfront Park. Thanks to the extraordinary vision and hard work of many volunteers over the past 9 years, this cherry blossom vision is very close to becoming a reality.

Later this year, the Sacramento Tree Foundation will break ground on this park that is expected to open to the public in 2023.

Here are some of the key features of the Hanami Line:

Cherry trees

Of course no cherry blossom park would be complete without cherry trees! Over 100 ‘Pink Flair’ cherry trees will put on a spectacular waterfront show every spring, drawing visitors to play and picnic under the blossoms for the experience known in Japan as hanami, or flower viewing.

Although they are best known for their springtime bloom, these cherry trees are gorgeous all year, with large, lush green leaves in summer, brilliant orange fall color, and striking bark and branches showing off their vase-like shape in winter.

With plenty of space for gatherings overlooking the river, the Hanami Line will host a wide range of lively food, music, and art festivals that will add to Sacramento’s lineup of events and attractions.

Bespoke seating elements

Although it’s common to casually spread a picnic blanket on the grass to partake in hanami, there will also be unique seating elements throughout the park. One side will offer organically shaped concrete benches that resemble twigs, and another will feature modern wooden benches with live-edge slabs milled and dried by our Urban Wood Rescue program.

The wood came from local urban trees that had to be removed, and instead of sending the logs to the landfill, we were able to salvage them so their beauty and benefits can live on in our community.

Sculpture

Overlooking Jibboom Street, a beautiful and iconic sculpture will be an attraction on its own. The renderings only depict one idea of what this sculpture could be — the actual design and artist will be determined in the future. Highly visible from I-5, the sculpture will serve as a beacon to welcome visitors to the park.

This sculpture is the first major component of public art planned for this space, but there will future opportunities to showcase additional artists, both permanently and for pop-up displays.

Matsuyama Dori

Signifying the friendship between Sacramento and our sister city, the Matsuyama Dori, or promenade, will begin at the sculpture overlook and continue northwest through the park, pointing toward Matsuyama, Japan. A beautiful seigaiha wave pattern will adorn the walkway. We extend a special thanks to the generosity of our friends at UC Davis Health, who are sponsoring this extraordinary feature.

A special gift from our sister city, Matsuyama, Japan, will be installed on the Matsuyama Dori – a logo inlay inspired by the Japanese tradition of decorative manhole covers that are used in urban areas throughout Japan. This gift from Matsuyama will forever remind us of the bond between our sister cities.

Nodategasa parasols

Near the western edge of the Matsuyama Dori overlooking the river, giant red parasols will provide shade and beauty. These will mimic traditional nodategasa parasols in Japan used for tea ceremonies.

There are so many additional features planned for this park, including lighting, drought tolerant and native landscaping, custom railings, a decorative retaining wall along Jibboom Street, and a donor wall to recognize the generosity of those who helped bring this park to Sacramento. To learn more about the plans, view the design development summary.

How you can be a part of this cherry blossom vision

To bring this vision to life, the Sacramento Tree Foundation launched a capital campaign to raise $6.95 million, and as of this afternoon, already 91% of the goal has been raised! Thanks to philanthropic gifts from individuals, a $500,000 commitment from UC Davis Health, support from the City of Sacramento, and a Caltrans Clean California grant, we are so close to achieving this shared dream of a cherry blossom park for Sacramento.

You too can be part of bringing this experience to our community – all are invited to participate. To learn more, visit sactree.org/hanami, or to make a gift, visit sactree.org/hanami/donate.