HANA-IKADA, or petal rafts, is a poetic word that means fallen cherry-blossom petals floating on water like a sheet. It has been depicted in many Japanese designs and literature for a very long time. In some Japanese traditional context, the way cherry blossoms fall compares to death in good grace, and the raft's petals being unaware where to sink also suggest the meek acceptance of destiny. The hemp-seed milk represents the milky-white sheet of moonlit petals. Hemp is as sacred and mystic as cherry blossoms in Japan. Twenty one years ago today, a big earthquake hit Osaka, Kobe and other parts of Japan. I recreated this as a requiem for the victims of the quake, that and others and also of the wars in the past and present, with a prayer for eternal peace among humans.
One of the sweets was exhibited at the timely art event entitled, "One Sky One World" that was held in the Netherlands last January 16-17, which, coincidentally was also the Memorial Day for the Japanese earthquake which happened 21 years ago.

   Ingredients： Agar (Japanese algae gelatin), Sugar, Hemp seed, Salted cherry blossom (from parents' home garden), Water, Gold foil

  「花筏」は散っていく桜の花びらが水面に浮かぶ様を表す詩的な言葉で、日本では古来数多の意匠として用いられてきた。桜の花の散りぎわの美しさは武士たちの潔い死にたとえられもした。「花筏」の花びらはいづかたとも知れず沈んでいくことから、従容と運命に従う様になぞらえられもした。 月の光を浴びた水面一面の桜の花びらをあらわす乳白色には、桜同様古来から神聖な植物として取り扱われてきた麻（種）を使った。 21年前の今日、西日本の大阪神戸などを襲ったものなど数ある地震や、過去・現在の戦争犠牲者への鎮魂の想いをこめ、平和への祈りとともにこの菓子を作らせていただいた。 
 

  材料：寒天、砂糖、麻の種、実家の桜花の塩漬け、水、金箔

photo by Stefan Hoogeveen​