SLIDE SHOW: WKU celebrates cherry blossoms, Japanese culture with Ohanami event
Published 3:52 pm Wednesday, March 26, 2025
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Students file through Centennial Mall at Western Kentucky University during WKU Global’s Ohanami event on Wednesday, which celebrated the blooming of the university’s cherry trees and provided insight to Japanese culture to students and passersby. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)
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Bowling Green Mayor Todd Alcott (right) and Western Kentucky University sophomore Jessie Puii compete to see who can move the most lima beans to a plate with chopsticks during WKU Global’s Ohanami event on Wednesday, which celebrated the blooming of the university’s cherry trees and provided insight to Japanese culture to students and passersby. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)
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WKU Global student ambassadors Brooke Mitchell (right) and Martah Onda try out sushi and green tea provided by the Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville during Western Kentucky University’’s Ohanami event on Wednesday, which celebrated the blooming of the university’s cherry trees and provided insight to Japanese culture to students and passersby. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)
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A group of students in Western Kentucky University’s Chinese Music Club perform with traditional Chinese instruments during WKU Global’s Ohanami event on Wednesday, which celebrated the blooming of the university’s cherry trees and provided insight to Japanese culture to students and passersby. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)
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A depiction of “The Great Wave” made from Legos sits on a table in Western Kentucky University’s Centennial Mall during WKU Global’s Ohanami event on Wednesday, which celebrated the blooming of the university’s cherry trees and provided insight to Japanese culture to students and passersby. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)
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Jonathan Contrades, (left) cultural programs coordinator for the Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville and Consul Shoko Matsuoka (center) organize pieces of sushi on a plate during WKU Global’s Ohanami event on Wednesday, which celebrated the blooming of the university’s cherry trees and provided insight to Japanese culture to students and passersby. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)
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The cherry trees stand in bloom in Western Kentucky University’s Centennial Mall during WKU Global’s Ohanami event on Wednesday, which celebrated the blooming of the university’s cherry trees and provided insight to Japanese culture to students and passersby. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)
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Ting-Hui Lee, the advisor for Western Kentucky University’s Chinese Music Club, demonstrates a traditional Hulusi instrument to a WKU student during WKU Global’s Ohanami event on Wednesday, which celebrated the blooming of the university’s cherry trees and provided insight to Japanese culture to students and passersby. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)
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Jonathan Contrades, cultural programs coordinator for the Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville, moves pieces of sushi to a presentation plate during WKU Global’s Ohanami event on Wednesday, which celebrated the blooming of the university’s cherry trees and provided insight to Japanese culture to students and passersby. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)
About Jack Dobbs
Jack covers city government for the Daily News. Originally from Simpson County, he attended Western Kentucky University and graduated in 2022 with a degree in journalism.
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