All across Japan, during the New Year celebration of O-Shogatsu, you will find kadomatsu or “gate pines” at residential doorways and the entrances to shrines, public buildings, and commercial facilities. Join us from 1:15-2:15pm for a presentation on kadomatsu by Caleb Hendrickson of Saga Goryu in the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center.

Kadomatsu features pine, bamboo, and plum, which are all considered auspicious plants.  Pine, matsu in Japanese, represent longevity, courage, and constancy. Bamboo symbolizes resilience, and plum the purity and renewal of the first blossoms of spring.

About Saga Goryu

The Saga Goryu School of Ikebana, headquartered at Daikakuji Temple in Kyoto, was founded more than 1,200 years ago by Emperor Saga. It continues to draw on its traditional philosophical and spiritual foundations to interpret the modern world through floral artistry.