Members of the Ottawa Bonsai Society,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mesdames et messieurs,

It is a pleasure for me to be here this morning to declare the 2005 Bonsai Exhibition officially open, and to welcome all of you, especially the members of the Ottawa Bonsai Society.

This summer, we were blessed with sunshine and warm weather in the National Capital Region. It is sad to say farewell to the spectacular greenery of summer. En même temps, j'ai hâte de voir le Canada dans toute sa splendeur automnale, et ses magnifique feuilles d'érable. L'exposition Bonsai d'aujourd'hui nous amène dans cette belle saison. (At the same time, I am full of anticipation to see Canada in all its autumnal splendor, adorned particularly by the maple leaves. Today's Bonsai exhibits help usher in this gorgeous season.)

This year marks the third consecutive year that the members of the Ottawa Bonsai Society introduce the delicate art form of Japanese traditional horticulture here at the Embassy and show their talents to the people in Ottawa. I would like to express my deep respect to our featured guest, one of the founding members of the Ottawa Bonsai Society and a versatile artist, Mr. Mitsugi Kikuchi, as well as its members for their dedicated efforts.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that some of the members are in their teens or younger. This illustrates that openness to different cultures is something that Canadians really grow up with. Since I arrived in Canada, I have visited various parts of this vast country, including British Columbia, Alberta, and Nova Scotia, in addition to Montreal and Toronto. Chaque visite m'a permis de voir et d'apprécier la mosaïque Canadienne; là où une multitude de communautés ethniques sont respectés et protégés. (Each visit has enabled me to appreciate the true mosaic of Canada, where the cultural heritages of various ethnic communities are respected and preserved.)

Bonsai, which is the art form of designing a tree in complex forms and at the same time achieving simple perfection in a small container, was derived from China in the 12th century. Bonsai was, and is still believed to be, a unique method of meditation. Bonsai enables its creators to express the intertwined relationship of humans and nature along with projecting shin-zen-bi, that is, truth, goodness and beauty. I am looking forward to seeing how these elements unfold in the exhibits made by Canadians who live with nature and know the many faces nature shows.

I recently read a Japanese newspaper article that reported that a 500 year old Bonsai was placed on an internet virtual market in Japan for a price of --- , let's say, more than one hundred thousand Canadian dollars. What is more to the point is that all the meticulous, loving care that goes into producing and keeping a fine piece of Bonsai is really priceless. The popularity of Bonsai continues to increase all over the world, and the word Bonsai has become an every-day horticultural word in North America. Bonsai was born in the Orient, but it accommodates a variety of ideas from different traditions while maintaining its traditional principles. Today's exhibition marks one of the changing phases of Bonsai, and I believe this is how art connects people with different cultural backgrounds.

It seems to me that Bonsai is an art form well suited to Canadians who live through four distinct seasons each year, as do Japanese. Bonsai increases our understanding of the cycles of nature and helps us appreciate the good that comes out of the dormant period that is winter in Canada.

Let me conclude by expressing my very best wishes for the success of this exhibition, and my sincere hope that this will be a wonderful introduction to the delicate form of Japanese horticulture, Bonsai. Ce fût un honneur pour moi de vous acueillir à l'ambassade du Japon et vous adresser la parole. J'aimerais vous remercier pour votre intérêt notable pour le Bonsai.