site.btaJapanese Ambassador Attends Hanami Celebration at St. Kliment Ohridski Secondary School in Plovdiv

The Japanese Ambassador to the Republic of Bulgaria, Chikahisa Sumi, attended the Hanami celebration - the arrival of spring, at St. Kliment Ohridski Secondary School in Plovdiv on Thursday.

The festival symbolizes the awakening of nature to new life. It has been celebrated in Japan since ancient times and is associated with the blooming of the Japanese cherry trees sakura. In April 2025, the Japanese garden Arigato was established in the schoolyard. In the autumn of 2025, the school started teaching Japanese language and culture to students from first to fifth grade and eighth grade.

"I am pleased that for more than 50 years Plovdiv has maintained a twin town relationship with the Japanese city of Okayama, and that this school was the first in the city to introduce Japanese language in its classes," Ambassador Sumi said in his address. He said that the friendship between the two countries is built on dedication and cultural exchange. The ambassador added that he remains committed to strengthening future cooperation between the two countries in culture, economy, and other fields to ensure that these warm relations continue to flourish.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atanas Vladikov, designer of the concept for the Arigato garden, also gave a congratulatory speech on the occasion.

The construction of the garden was financed by Italian businessman Michele Santorelli, who also renovated one of the classrooms for Japanese language and calligraphy activities.

He said that Hanami reminds us that true beauty lies in shared moments, and in this fast-paced world the trees teach us patience, harmony, and humanity. He congratulated the school for its courage to build a bridge between cultures and to educate young people with open minds and strong values.

As a symbol of friendship, the school presented Ambassador Sumi with a photograph of the Black Crow Castle in Okayama. The school’s principal, Ivanka Vasileva, received from the Creators of Hope Foundation a panel depicting the image and honours of the Japanese samurai General Seigo Yamazawa, who fought for Bulgaria’s freedom in the Russo-Turkish War. The panel is a gift for the Japanese language classroom.

In the Japanese garden three cherry blossom trees were planted. The celebration continued with musical performances and recitals by students, who demonstrated their Japanese knowledge and participated in a calligraphy masterclass organized by the Japanese Cultural Center Kokoro.