Japanese Scents, Blooming Branches, and a Festive Flower Arranging Workshop

The workshop will be led by: Ferenc Dinya

What connects the Hungarian Borbála tradition with Japanese New Year customs? How can a flowering branch become a symbol of hope, and how can scents be used to evoke the still-distant spring?

In Japan, shōchikubai (松竹梅)—that is, the trio of pine, bamboo, and the Japanese plum (ume) have been symbols of perseverance, vitality, and good fortune for centuries. These well-known plants, of Chinese origin and known as “the three friends of winter,” hold a special place in Japanese art and New Year’s traditions. Among them, the ume blossoms even in the cold of winter, its delicate fragrance heralding the approaching spring.

In Hungary, too, there is a special custom associated with these flowering branches. On December 4, on St. Barbara’s Day, people would place fruit tree branches in water, hoping they would bloom by Christmas. It’s a surprising parallel that in Japan, the Keiōzakura, a special variety of cherry tree, are also made to bloom in winter to enrich the New Year’s celebrations with the atmosphere of spring.

But what does winter smell like in Japan?

In Japanese fragrance culture, different scent traditions are associated with each season. Plum blossoms, for example, have given their name to one of the classic Japanese fragrance compositions, and the aromas of various fragrant woods and spices have been part of Japanese fragrance culture for centuries. One of the characteristic scents of the colder months is nerikō (練香), a traditional Japanese incense stick whose rich, complex aromas are particularly associated with the tea ceremony season, which runs from fall through spring.

We’ll explore Japanese botanical symbols associated with winter, the history of flowering and the fascinating aspects of classical incense culture.

The event centers on kōdō (香道), the Way of Incense. Participants will be introduced to the practice of monkō, a term that literally means “listening to scents” in Japanese. This unique scent-awareness demonstration is based on the conscious, deepened experience of the aromas of fragrant woods. During the presentation, you’ll discover the unique world of fragrant trees, while experiencing how focusing on scents can become a form of slowing down and deepening one’s state of mind.

An occasion where Hungarian and Japanese traditions come together, and where winter tells not only of nature’s rest, but also of the promise of spring hidden within it.