Power FC Celebrates End of Cherry Blossom Season with Japan Native Midfielder Yuuka Kurosaki

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USLSL DC Power FC

Power FC Celebrates End of Cherry Blossom Season with Japan Native Midfielder Yuuka Kurosaki

April 25, 2025 - USL Super League (USLSL)
DC Power FC News Release


Washington, D.C. - Over 7,100 miles away from her hometown of Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka, Japan, midfielder Yuuka Kurosaki moved to the United States when she was just 18 years old to pursue her playing career. With an ocean and a 13-hour time difference between her and her family, D.C.'s cherry blossoms have served as a comfort, a link to her Japanese heritage while living abroad.

"When I signed with Power FC, everyone was telling me about the cherry blossoms here," Kurosaki said. "I was so excited to see them in season in the U.S. this year."

It's been several years since Kurosaki has been home in Japan for cherry blossom season. The international midfielder moved to the U.S. in Fall 2015 and enrolled at the University of Kentucky in the Center for English as a Second Language. Kurosaki spent her first two seasons with Kentucky (2017, 2018) and completed her collegiate career with the University of Oklahoma (2019, 2020).

Following professional stints in Europe with FC Wacker Innsbruck in 2021, Arna-BjØrnar in 2021-22, and Kuopion Palloseura in 2023, Kurosaki returned to Kentucky to play for Racing Louisville of the National Women's Soccer League in 2024 before being acquired by Power FC in August 2024.

In anticipation of her move to D.C., Kurosaki was pleased to learn that the Japanese Cherry Blossom festivities would soon be steps away from her home again.

"I miss Japan, and I haven't been able to see the Cherry Blossoms there for a while," Kurosaki said. "When I signed with Power FC, people told me I would be able to see them in bloom again. Here you can see them along the monument and taking pictures with the cherry blossoms and the water at the same time is so nice."

DC Power Football club teammates turned to Kurosaki for all cherry blossom inquiries, in hopes to find the best time and place to witness the trees in peak bloom.

"A couple of my teammates went to see the cherry blossoms and were asking about the difference between the light and dark pink flowers and what they look like in Japan," Kurosaki said. "I told them I wasn't sure, it's been a long time since I've seen them."

The cherry blossoms are just one of Washington D.C.'s many connections to Japanese culture. Kurosaki caught a glimpse into D.C.'s dynamic Japanese community and attended the Washington National's Japanese Heritage Day Game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, April 7.

"I went to the game and saw so many other Japanese people," Kurosaki said. "I didn't know how many Japanese people live here in D.C.; I was surprised and heard people speaking in Japanese everywhere."

Kurosaki looks forward to the remainder of the inaugural 2024/25 season and continuing to explore Washington D.C. and its vibrant Japanese community while doing everything in her power to record wins for the District.

"It's an honor to play here for DC Power Football Club," Kurosaki said. "I feel connected to my Japanese Heritage here."

Next Match

DC Power Football Club will face Brooklyn FC on the road in its final meeting against the club in the 2024/25 season on Saturday, April 26. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. ET at Maimonides Park and will be broadcast on Peacock.

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