Kiku Matsuri: Chrysanthemum Festival

Ikebana International (Portland Chapter #47) celebrates the chrysanthemum in this special, two-day-only exhibition in the Yanai Classroom. Ikebana International first celebrated Kiku Matsuri, the Chrysanthemum Festival, at Portland Japanese Garden in 1983. Local ikebana artists from various schools or styles will create arrangements featuring chrysanthemums, known as kiku in Japanese.

Kiku Matsuri, or Choyo no Sekku, observed in Japan on September 9, is the final of the five seasonal Go-Sekku festivals in Japan’s traditional lunar calendar. Chrysanthemums symbolize longevity, dignity, and nobility. A 16-petaled chrysanthemum even appears on the imperial family crest. The flower has been cultivated in Japan since it was first introduced in China in the 8th century.

Ikebana, a Japanese art form, has been translated as “living flowers” or “giving life to flowers,” and is unique from other approaches to flower arrangement. In ikebana, asymmetry and the use of empty space are essential features of the overall composition. A sense of harmony among the materials, the container, and the setting is also crucial.