hydrangea – Susan Spann, Adventure, Mystery, and Mountains

The Hydrangea Festival at Hakusan Shrine

Susan Spann Blog June 12, 2018June 12, 2018ajisai, festival, flowers, hydrangea, Japan, matsuri, Tokyo

As I wait for the snow to melt on the hyakumeizan peaks, I’m also visiting sites of interest and festivals (matsuri) taking place around Japan. Flowers are a particularly important part of Japanese culture, and Bunkyo City, in Tokyo, celebrates five major flower festivals every year. Last weekend (June 9-10) was the Ajisai (Hydrangea) matsuri, celebrating the spectacular hydrangeas that bloom in Tokyo–and across Japan–each June.

The Symbolism of Japanese Hydrangea

Susan Spann Blog July 26, 2017November 8, 2017ajisai, flowers, hydrangea, ikebana, Japan

In my first Hiro Hattori / Shinobi Mystery, Claws of the Cat, I mention an arrangement of hydrangea blossoms in the room where the murder occurred. Flowers have great importance in Japanese culture. The art of ikebana, or traditional flower arranging, developed hundreds of years ago and was considered an appropriate art for both men and women–many samurai studied ikebana as well as swordsmanship. In Japan, flowers have long been displayed in seasonal contexts. Certain flowers are considered “appropriate” for, symbolic of, and associated with, specific times of year. Additionally, flowers carry traditional meanings that are understood by students of ikebana and Japanese culture. Hydrangea