Arab News Japan

The first Ikebana event was held in Kuwait in early January in collaboration with the Ohara School of Ikebana, the Kuwait and Japan International Gathering and the Embassy of Japan in Kuwait.

Ikebana professor Harue Ohki showed attendees how the traditional floral arrangements are prepared.

Cultural Attaché Rie Kurihara from the Japanese Embassy in Kuwait also attended the event to commemorate the first of its kind occasion.

“It is the first time an Ikebana class was held in Kuwait,” Kurihara told Arab News Japan. “I sincerely thank [Harue Ohki] for her strong passion to spread Ikebana in Kuwait. I really hope that more classes will be held in Kuwait, and someday there will be Kuwaiti Ikebana teacher here.”

She said that Kuwait and Japan have been maintaining friendly relations for over 60 years, in various cultural fields, as opposed to only in the oil sector.

“Young Kuwaiti people are into Japanese pop culture such as anime and manga, and there are many events and expos for anime being held,” the cultural attaché said. “However, I’d like more Kuwaiti people to learn about our traditional culture like Ikebana and tea ceremonies. By exchanging our culture, the distance between the two countries will be closer and closer.”

The Founder of the Japan-Kuwait International Gathering Faisal Al-Salem has been organizing cultural events in Kuwait recently, in order to bring the two countries closer together.

In December, the second annual Kuwait-Japan gathering was held in order to promote cultural exchange and understanding.

The event brought together a delegation of students, artists and diplomats from the Japanese Embassy in Kuwait.