Join us for a captivating lecture by Naoko Abe, the author of ‘Cherry’ Ingram, The Englishman Who Saved Japan’s Blossoms.

In this talk, Naoko will delve into the fascinating story of Collingwood ‘Cherry’ Ingram, an Englishman whose passion for cherry blossoms left an indelible mark on Japan’s cultural heritage. Ingram’s tireless efforts in preserving rare cherry tree varieties during World War II helped safeguard their existence. She will share insights from her research and discuss the legacy of ‘Cherry’ Ingram, whose work continues to inspire botanists, gardeners, and nature enthusiasts worldwide.

Additionally, Naoko will explore the significance of the National Collection of Flowering Cherries at Keele University. This collection boasts 283 species and varieties of flowering cherries, gracing the university grounds. It stands as a testament to the enduring passion of ‘Cherry’ Ingram, whose love for cherries continues to bloom at Keele University.
https://www.keele.ac.uk/arboretum/nationalcollectionoffloweringcherries/

Naoko Abe is a London-based journalist and non-fiction writer.

Her first English-language book ‘Cherry’ Ingram, The Englishman who Saved Japan’s Blossoms was published in March 2019 to critical acclaim. The book, which was called The Sakura Obsession in the U.S., was chosen as the Book of the Week by BBC Radio 4 and was the best books of the year in the Sunday Times, Daily Mirror, NPR and the Woodland Trust. The original book in Japanese won the prestigious Nihon Essayist Club Award in Japan in 2016. The book is published in 8 languages.

Naoko Abe worked for the Mainichi Newspaper, one of Japan’s most influential newspapers, for many years. As the paper’s first female political reporter, she covered the prime minister’s office and travelled extensively domestically and internationally.

Naoko moved to London with her family in 2001 and has worked as a freelance journalist and non-fiction writer. She has written five books in Japanese. ‘The Martyr and the Red Kimono’ is her second English language book.

Prof Fumiko Yonezawa Memorial Lecture Series is being organised in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Prof Fumiko Yonezawa, who was the first Japanese student studied at Keele from 1963 to 1964, and later achieved significant accomplishments as a theoretical physicist and became the first female president of the Physical Society of Japan and a laureate of the L'Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science for her pioneering theory and computer simulations on amorphous semiconductors and liquid metals in 2005.

This lecture series is supported by the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation (https://dajf.org.uk/) and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation (http://www.gbsf.org.uk/).