On March 25, 17th Shuntoe (Spring Peach Festival) was held at Sanjusangendo, Kyoto, and the Headmaster designate Senko Ikenobo offered flower before the Buddhist altar. In the normal year, Shuntoe was held on March 3, but this year the festival was postponed to March 25 responds to the state of emergency.
At 10:00am, a Buddhist memorial service was started. The Headmaster designate arranged a shoka work using peach in Shiun, copper vase, before thousand-armed Kannon, the national treasure of Japan. After flower offering, the Headmaster designate stated: I offered isshuike(using single floral materials in the work) of peach because it is a memorial service of peach. Isshuike arrangement enable creator to express power of flower itself. I go back to the starting point of “flower offering” and pray for the peace bring back by the power of flower.
Before the flower offering, ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the east gate to open the east garden of the temple. In the garden, various plants are planted and so visitor can enjoy beautiful flower in all seasons.
Together with the flower offering by the Headmaster designate, 10 ikebana works were displayed at the Hall arranged by board member of the Kyoto Chapter.
