Finding Japanese Cherry Blossoms in Westchester: The Hammond Museum

Although the precise dates vary by location and weather, the world-famous Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival (Sakura) takes place each year between March and May.  However, with far less fanfare, far fewer crowds, and no passport required, residents in the tri-state area can capture a slice of the Sakura spirit at the Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden closer to home.

The setting of this diminutive, private museum and 3.5-acre garden, nestled in North Salem (Westchester County), offers the ambiance of Japan, showcasing its vibrant art, culture and traditions. It’s an ideal day trip for urban and suburban residents seeking peace and tranquility amid nature’s beauty.

Cherry Blossom Season in Japan

This year, we visited the Hammond Museum shortly after returning to New York from our first visit to Japan. Yes, we were among the hordes of domestic and international tourists that descended upon Japan to witness the stunning blossoms that signify the arrival of the spring renewal. 

Because the blooms are short-lived, cherry blossoms are generally at their peak for only a week after first opening. So it’s not surprising that tourism in Japan is also at its peak during this same short time. Blossoming cherry trees can be found in cities and towns throughout Japan. They’re seemingly ubiquitous, found along riverbanks, in parks, at public gardens, and on mountainsides.

In Japan, one of the most popular places to see the blossoms in one location in Tokyo is at Ueno Park, home to more than 1000 cherry trees that line the park’s paths and Shinobazu Pond. 

Our timing was perfect. We visited the park on Sunday, March 29th. It was a beautiful Sunday with perfect weather, one day after the Japan Meteorological Agency officially announced the start of full bloom in Tokyo. The crowd at the park that day, estimated at hundreds of thousands, apparently had the same idea.

You might also say that our timing was imperfect, too. We visited during the joyful “Hanami” (flower viewing) when Japanese people cover the grounds with picnic tarps, and share food and drink with families and friends under the pink and white petals. On a more serious note, they acknowledge the fleeting nature of life.

The sheer number of people there made navigating the park difficult; we had to walk in two separate lanes, similar to road traffic, just to cross from one side to the other.  Although massive, and maybe simply because it was so massive, the event will also be a memorable one for us.

A Tale of Two Sakuras

Comparing the two Sakuras, one might consider the one at the Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden the antithesis to the one at Ueno Park.

Ueno Park is situated in the Taito district of central Tokyo, directly across from Ueno Station. Thus, this cultural hub of six museums, zoos, and the park is extremely accessible by public transportation and the bullet train.

In comparison, the Hammond is located in North Salem, about 90 minutes and 70 miles north of New York City. The sleepy rural town in northern Westchester is known for its historic homes, horse farms and spacious plots of land. To get there, from almost anywhere, one needs to drive or take a car service.

So the serenity of the museum is defined not only by its landscape but also by its remote location. We visited the museum on Saturday, April 18th, one week after its spring opening, as the cherry blossoms were beginning to bloom, but we saw only a handful of other visitors.

History and Elements of This Unique Japanese Stroll Garden

The founder of the Hammond museum, Natalie Hays Hammond (1904-1985), was an artist and philanthropist with diverse interests and talents: She was an author, book collector, Broadway set and costume designer, and needlepoint artist. 

Hammond was also a world traveler who had visited Japan and wanted to create a space to foster cultural understanding between Eastern and Western cultures. She opened the museum in 1958 and created what she called her “Garden of Serenity”, inspired by the stroll gardens of Edo-era Japan.

The major elements of the property include:

• A Japanese-style bell by artist Frank Kara
• A man-made pond with frogs and turtles, and an island in its center
• A tea hut designed by Herbert York
• A stone Zen garden
• A bamboo grove, a symbol of resilience
• A mound of earth dubbed Mt. Fuji

The stone paths are surrounded by an abundance of trees and shrubs, including Katsura trees with heart-shaped leaves (native to Japan), Magnolias, Dogwoods, and Weeping Cherries, creating a serene landscape with benches that encourage wanderers to pause and reflect.

The grounds also include a tea room built in Kyoto, using traditional materials and techniques. In addition, the museum offers both permanent and temporary exhibitions that are announced on its website. During our visit, we were taken by the Kimono exhibit, called Threads of Connections: Traditional Forms, Contemporary Stories.

“What I love most at the Hammond is the intimate size, the stillness in the gardens, and the vast array of activities offered,” says Nadine Revheim, PhD, a psychologist and writer who lives in the Hudson Valley.

Natalie Hays Hammond considered the museum and stroll garden “a place where visual and performing arts have found a continuity—a place to see, to listen, to think, even to contemplate peace.” 

How prescient and timeless was her sentiment.

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IF YOU GO

The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden is open from April through December, Wednesdays through Sundays, 11 AM to 5 PM.

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