Sapporo Flower Carpet 2024

"Sapporo Flower Carpet 2024" is a citizen-participation art event in which large flower paintings are created using Hokkaido petals and natural materials, with the main venue being the Sapporo Kita 3-jo Square in front of the Hokkaido Prefectural Government Red Brick Building. The aim is to promote the beautiful "flower scenery" of Hokkaido and Sapporo, and to promote the floriculture industry. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the event, which began in 2014, and a total of approximately 3,800 volunteers have been involved in the production, with a total of approximately 640,000 visitors.

In 2024, the event will be held from June 28th (Fri) to 30th (Sun). Fujie Suzuki, a native of Sapporo and Art Director at NOMURA Co.,Ltd. IVD, was invited to design the anniversary carpet (main carpet) to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the event. NOMURA Co.,Ltd. IVD was also in charge of the key visual for the event.

The theme of the anniversary carpet is "Weaving Towards the Future." The carpet is the largest ever at 225 square meters, and was concept design and created by Suzuki himself, who was the first Japanese person to concept design the "Brussels Flower Carpet 2016" and received high praise both domestically and internationally.

NOMURA Co.,Ltd. is providing special support, including concept design the anniversary carpet and key visuals, as well as assisting with public relations and volunteer work.

What is Sapporo Flower Carpet?
The event has been held since 2014. It is run by a public-private partnership between the government (Hokkaido and Sapporo City) and private companies. It is working to develop human resources who will increase the value of the region, run by a diverse group of citizen volunteers, from young children to people working in the neighborhood and foreign residents, and promote understanding of Hokkaido's floriculture industry for the next generation through collaboration with elementary and high schools.

Sapporo Flower Carpet aims to promote the beauty of Sapporo's and Hokkaido's floral landscapes and to revitalize the floriculture industry. Therefore, regarding anniversary carpets, specifically...
-concept design that once again focuses on "Belgium," the theme of the first flower carpet, which has a long history.
-concept design that incorporate Hokkaido-grown flower petals and Ainu patterns to contribute to the revitalization of the floriculture industry and Ainu culture.
We received requests such as the following, concept design was requested to celebrate the 10th anniversary by fusing multiple cultures, including those of Hokkaido, Belgium, and the Ainu.

Because the anniversary carpet will be produced in collaboration with the local community and with the participation of local citizens, the theme was decided after gaining an understanding of the local climate and culture through interviews with the Sapporo Flower Carpet Executive Committee, the Sapporo Ainu Association, and people in the Hokkaido floriculture industry.

The theme of the anniversary carpet is "Weaving towards the future". It is our hope that the flower carpet will connect the people involved, Hokkaido and Belgium's culture, and create new bonds that will be woven into the future. In addition, Ainu patterns are incorporated around the symbol used in the "Brussels Flower Carpet 2016", expressing our thoughts on the future of Ainu culture.

According to the organizing committee, 550 volunteers were involved in the production and displays during the three-day event, nearly 42,000 visitors came to see the flower carpet, and the event received 77 media reports. It was a spectacular event befitting the 10th anniversary.

*Figures for the Akapla venue where the anniversary carpet was installed