July 24th, 2011
The WFRS 12th International Heritage Rose Conference in Sakura, 2012,
from MAY 31st to JUNE 6th in 2012
from MAY 31st to JUNE 6th in 2012
It is already four months since the 11th of March,when east Japan was hit by terrible earthquakes and tsunami. The damage caused by those natural calamities, and the problem of radiation leakage from the nuclear power plant destroyed by them, were so serious that we know it will take years till the country recovers its full strength.
In this confused aftermath of the disasters, however, hopes for the future are being born. The help offered by many other countries of the world and young volunteers' cooperative activities have greatly encouraged those who have suffered damage. In a couple of weeks, a supplementary budget will be presented to the Diet for preparing necessary funds, and we hope full scale reconstruction work will soon be started.
Under these circumstances, the Organising Committee has been discussing with Sakura City and other cooperating organisations the possibility of holding the International Heritage Rose Conference in 2012. At the meeting on July 11th, it decided to host it in Sakura from Thurs. May 31st to Wed. June 6th. [This is the final decision. Please correct the dates given on this website on May 16th.]
The programme will be basically the same as the one for the canceled 2011 conference, but we are thinking of adding a pre-conference tour to a natural habitat of Rosa multiflora adenochaeta in Kyushu (the southernmost major island of Japan). We would like time to decide the details, and will announce them on this website in a month or two.
The programme will be basically the same as the one for the canceled 2011 conference, but we are thinking of adding a pre-conference tour to a natural habitat of Rosa multiflora adenochaeta in Kyushu (the southernmost major island of Japan). We would like time to decide the details, and will announce them on this website in a month or two.
As to the problem of radiation leakage from the nuclear power plant in trouble, Sakura is located in an area satisfying the safety standard for radioactivity set up by the government, and we hope the situation will not become worse from now on. To avoid approaching the area more or less affected by the radioactivity, we will change the destinations of the post-conference tours and select interesting spots in the area around Tokyo. We believe there is no fear of the attendees being exposed to the danger of radioactivity.
We extend our heartfelt apology for having caused you trouble by canceling the conference in 2011. We sincerely hope we can welcome many rose loving friends to the conference in Sakura next year, and share the pleasure of exchanging information on this wonderful flower. Please come to Sakura in May-June next year. We are looking forward to seeing you here in May next year, when roses in Japan are at their most beautiful.
Chairman
Katsuhiko Maebara
Katsuhiko Maebara
4th June, 2011
We are very happy to have been able to welcome a friend from Australia, Mr. Thomas Lyons, to Sakura! Despite the cancellation of the heritage rose conference this year, he was so kind as to visit Japan, and to share a wonderful time with us in our rose garden.Two and a half months ago, we were deeply depressed in the confused aftermath of the terrible earthquakes and tsunami. However, our life in Sakura has now almost returned to normal, and we are able to enjoy the flowering season in our rose garden as usual. We hope the conference next year will be held without any trouble, and we will be able to welcome a large number of rose loving friends from all over the world.
16th May, 2011
New dates for Conference in Sakura, 2012
The Organising Committee met on the 9th of May, and agreed on postponing the conference, scheduled to be held in Sakura toward the end of May this year, until next year. The date of the conference next year was set for Sat. 26th of May to Fri. 1st of June. Details about the schedule will be announced on our website in September. The Committee also agreed on starting the preparations for the conference next year immediately.
The 1st Rose Festival at Sakura Kusabue-no-oka, scheduled for the same period as the canceled heritage rose conference, will be held as previously planned: for nine days from Sat. 28th May to Sun. 5th June. The events on the programme are: lectures on roses, courses on growing roses, concerts, etc. You can also enjoy shopping at small stalls selling sweets, drinks, books, plants, gardening tools, etc. at the entrance of the Kusabue-no-oka park.
A new cafe named 'Rose Terrace' was opened at the entrance of the rose garden. Please spend a relaxing time there, viewing the roses in full bloom in the garden.
A new cafe named 'Rose Terrace' was opened at the entrance of the rose garden. Please spend a relaxing time there, viewing the roses in full bloom in the garden.
23rd March, 2011
Dear rose loving friends,
For the past three years, our committee has been working on the preparations for the WFRS 12th International Heritage Rose Conference scheduled to be held in Sakura, Japan, in May this year.
Unfortunately, however, unprecedented natural calamities hit this country on the 11th of March, devastating many cities and towns in the northern areas of the mainland, and claiming thousands of lives. Besides, they caused an accident in a nuclear power station, raising the fear of radioactive contamination in some regions.
We regret to say that, under these circumstances, it is impossible for us to host this important international rose event in Japan in May this year. We are going to discuss with the WFRS the possibility of postponing the conference, most likelyuntil May 2012, and announce the result as soon as the conclusion is obtained.
We are hoping that the friendship between you and rose lovers in Japan will continue despite this unfortunate incident.
Chairman
Katsuhiko Maebara
Katsuhiko Maebara
12th March, 2011
After the earthquakes
We are very grateful to our rose loving friends overseas who have shown a deep concern about us, who exprerienced unprecedented natural calamities which hit our country on Friday, the 11th of March.
Please be assured that the City of Sakura Rose Garden and other facilities we are going to use for the 12th International Heritage Rose Conference have suffered no damage from the earthquakes. We, the members of the organising committee, as well as the people who are going to work as volunteers to help us carry out various events of the conference, are all fine.
Though we feel very sad to have to report that the earthquakes and tsunami last week caused a large number of casualties and devastating damage to cities and towns on the Pacific coast of the main land of Japan, let us express our sincerest gratitude to many countries of the world which quickly decided to offer their help to us and to send their rescue teams to Japan.
We also emphasize that as rosarians, the sympathy extended to us by many rose loving friends of the world has been the best encouragement to us. Thank you indeed!
We are hoping that the friendship among rose lovers of the world will be even strengthened through those unfortunate disasters.
Chairman
Katsuhiko Maebara
Katsuhiko Maebara