Brazil Marks 1st “Ikebana” Japanese Flower Arrangement Day

Brasilia, Sept. 23 (Jiji Press)–Brazil marked its first national celebration day for “ikebana,” the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement, at its parliament in Brasilia on Tuesday. In January, Brazil enforced a law designating Sept. 23 as the national day of ikebana, becoming the first country to introduce such a day by law. Even Japan has no statutory ikebana day, although it celebrates the art on June 6 as designated by the Japan Ikebana Art Association. The celebration in Brazil added a touch of beauty to the year, which marks the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. At the parliament’s Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday, an event to demonstrate the art of ikebana was held following the national anthem. Ikebana serves as a bridge of culture and friendship between Japan and Brazil, said Cristina Sototuka, president of a Brazilian ikebana association. Home to 2.7 million “nikkei” Japanese immigrants and descendants, the largest such population in the world, Brazil has many citizens who promote ikebana as part of their Japanese cultural heritage. The ikebana day legislation was submitted to the parliament in 2006 for the purpose of reinvigorating people’s energy drained by urban life. Although the bill had been shelved, it was passed last December after Japanese Ambassador to Brazil Teiji Hayashi asked the lower chamber leader for cooperation to enact the measure. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]