Montreal Chapter #155, Canada

Floral momentum

It was an annual exhibition of Montreal Chapter at the Japanese Pavilion of Montreal Botanical Garden. 20 members participated in this exhibition. The opening ceremony took place in Friday evening with attendance and speeches of Mr. Masaki Morimoto, Deputy Consul General of Consulate General of Japan, Mme. Martine Bernier, Chief of Public and Educational Program of Botanical Garden and Mr. Luc Vanasse, President of The Japanese Garden & Pavilion. Their wonderful speeches of celebration for the exhibition encouraged our members. This exhibition marked an unforgettable event to open the official season of Botanical Garden.

On Saturday, we had a visit of Mr. & Mrs. Akihiko Uchikawa, Consul General of Consulate General of Japan in Montreal. They enjoyed their visit meeting with each participant and appreciated our efforts to show the Japanese culture to the public. Five teachers did a small demonstration of one Ikebana arrangement. It was a nice approach to the public in order that the public might understand how we make an Ikebana arrangement and that they might have a concept of Japanese Ikebana art.

The exhibition was of great success. We had more than six thousand visitors (more than three thousand visitors per day). The exhibition rooms were full of visitors nonstop. Visitors were interested in diversified Ikebana techniques of four different schools (Ikenobo, Koryu Shoutoukai, Ohara and Sogetsu) and surprised by artistic expression of Ikebana arrangements. We also had a small corner of miniature arrangements which gives an idea of small pleasure of flower arrangement in the daily life.