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On Japan House's opening day, Japanese flower artist Azuma Makoto, along with a 30-strong troupe of volunteers and Japan House staff, took to the streets of London to delight members of the public with a colourful Flower Messenger procession.
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For opening day, Friday 22 June, pioneering flower artist and botanical sculptor Azuma Makoto created a version of Flower Messenger especially for the streets of London. Inspired by flower sellers during Japan’s Edo period (1603-1867), Flower Messenger comprised a troupe of thirty flower messengers visiting Kensington’s cultural institutions, including the Design Museum, the Natural History Museum, Royal Albert Hall and the Serpentine Gallery, on foot to meet their neighbours. Along the way they greeted passers-by and presented them with flowers. The flower messengers carried baskets of elaborate flower displays and wore uniforms inspired by what was worn by Edo period flower sellers, but revamped for the 21stcentury in denim by clothing makers Dairec Inc, who are based in Japan’s denim and clothing manufacturing capital, Kojima in Okayama Prefecture. For the Japan House São Paulo opening Azuma Makoto had thirty flower messengers cycle around the city gifting flowers for the thirty days before opening.
Azuma Makoto also created a flower installation for Japan House London’s opening. Visitors to Japan House were able to see it from Friday 22 June until Sunday 24 June 2018.
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Images and a video of the 'Flower Messenger' event are available to download from the Media Centre. There is also a timelapse video of Azuma Makoto creating the floral installation at Japan House London available to download.