The National Botanical Garden of Georgia hosted the Sakura Blossom Days event with various activities, exhibitions and masterclasses this weekend.

The two-day festival was opened with a presentation of traditional Japanese art of writing Shodo and a tea ceremony, led by the representatives of the Japanese Language and Culture Centre in Tbilisi.

The opening event was attended by the Director of the National Botanical Garden Irine Danelia, the Deputy Tbilisi Mayor Andria Basilaia and Japanese Ambassador to Georgia Ishizuka Hideki.

An exhibition of thematic paintings by Georgian graphic artist Rusudan Petviashvili and other contemporary artists and handmade crafts and also, a display of clothes made with traditional Japanese and Georgian elements were organized at the event, where guests got acquainted with the Japanese anime and graphic novels - manga.

The visitors had the opportunity to attend various masterclasses, including the Japanese art of paper folding origami and preparing the country’s traditional dish - sushi, as well as the masterclass of kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery.