Chicago Chapter #27 USA

March 30 2025　
Workshop　 Chapter Meeting
We learned the history of onigiri and practiced making our own with a chef, Hiroko Yamada, one of our members.
Participants made four different varieties of traditional Japanese rice balls, including umeboshi, bonito flakes, tuna mayo and kelp. Then we enjoyed eating them as our lunch, together with interesting side dishes of chicken, vegetables and sweets. The chef used ingredients we did not know we could get in Chicago. We also enjoyed cherry blossom tea and green tea.

Chapter President Yuko Darcy taught us the more polite way to pick up chopsticks, split them, and place them on the table using the chopstick wrapper as a chopstick rest. Members brought small arrangements to decorate the tables and each arranger introduced her arrangement. Some arrangements were available for sale afterwards.

June 14-15 2025
Demonstration　 Exhibition
We held our annual exhibition at Chicago Botanic Garden on June 14 and 15. Forty-four members made arrangements and others attended to help with set-up and dismantling. There were forty-four standard, nine table-sized and one floor arrangement. Many arrangements used bright spring flowers and branches, which are available in June.
Demonstrations were given on both Saturday and Sunday, attracting an audience of about 50 each time. Each school prepared a demonstration of about 45 minutes.
The Consul General of Japan visited the exhibition on Sunday June 15 and complimented us on the attractive and varied exhibition.