Cherry Blossom Lantern Plaza Construction

Along Independence Avenue by the Tidal Basin is a 360 year old stone lantern that is lit each year at the Cherry Blossom Festival to commemorate the relationship between our country and Japan. We pass by this site all the time. I even captured the evolution of the blossoms this year by taking several photos over time of this exact spot. We were even passing by it when it was being dedicated for the construction of a plaza that will give the lantern more prominence. The plan is for a granite plaza and walking paths. Construction has started and should be completed in plenty of time for next year. I saw a lot of big boulders, and based on the sketch from the website, they are a big part of the design. It is indeed construction season, and this one is at least off the road and out of traffic.