Learn Japanese Ikebana in an Italian Villa Painted by Tiepolo

What does the flower on Japan's imperial crest have to do with an Italian villa painted by Tiepolo? On 25 October 2026, Villa Valmarana ai Nani in Vicenza dedicates an entire day to the chrysanthemum, with Japanese floral designer Eriko Miyakawa leading an ikebana inspired workshop. The programme also takes visitors through Giandomenico Tiepolo's Chinoiserie frescoes, the historic gardens and a restored woodland with an eighteenth century pagoda. Four activities, one particularly interesting encounter between Japanese traditions and Italian art.

WHY GO ↓ · THE CHRYSANTHEMUM ↓ · THE TIEPOLO CONNECTION ↓ · THE WORKSHOP ↓ · THE GARDEN ↓ · THE PROGRAMME ↓

WHY GO

An eighteenth century Italian villa, an artist from Japan and a flower that means two very different things depending on where you live.

On Sunday, 25 October 2026, Villa Valmarana ai Nani in Vicenza presents Natura in Villa: Suggestioni d’Oriente, a special day of Japanese inspired floral design, art history and botanical experiences.

The programme brings together an ikebana inspired workshop with Eriko Miyakawa, a guided visit to Giandomenico Tiepolo's Chinoiserie frescoes, a botanical walk through the restored woodland and tree climbing for children. [1]

The connecting idea is the chrysanthemum.

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM: FROM REMEMBRANCE TO LONGEVITY

In Italy, chrysanthemums are traditionally associated with remembrance and All Saints' season. In Japan, their cultural history includes entirely different associations. The chrysanthemum appears on the crest of Japan's Imperial Family, as documented by the Japanese government's Highlighting Japan publication. [2]

Its symbolism extends far beyond the imperial household. The Metropolitan Museum of Art identifies chrysanthemums as symbols of longevity and good fortune in East Asian art, including Japanese lacquerware of the fifteenth century. [3] The flower also belongs to the Japanese visual language of autumn, appearing in paintings, decorative arts and traditional seasonal imagery. For this particular Sunday, it becomes the principal material of a floral workshop inspired by the Japanese art of ikebana.

A TIEPOLO VILLA WITH AN ASIAN FASCINATION

The setting has its own Asian connection, although one interpreted through the tastes of eighteenth century Europe. In 1757, Giandomenico Tiepolo painted the Sala delle Cineserie in the Foresteria of Villa Valmarana ai Nani, creating a world of imagined Asian figures, textiles and social encounters.

The Victoria and Albert Museum explains that European chinoiserie combined Chinese, Japanese and other Asian influences into an elaborate decorative fashion. Porcelain, lacquer, silk and painted interiors helped define the taste of wealthy European households. [4] At Villa Valmarana, Tiepolo's paintings form part of a remarkable cycle created in collaboration with his father, Giambattista Tiepolo. The rooms of the Foresteria move between imagined Asian life, Venetian society, rural scenes and the changing seasons. [5] The special 10:30 visit explores this artistic fascination, continuing through the Palazzina and the Foresteria.

LEARN JAPANESE INSPIRED IKEBANA WITH ERIKO MIYAKAWA

Two practical sessions are scheduled, at 11:45 and 15:45.

Participants will create a floral composition using chrysanthemums and other botanical materials, guided by Eriko Miyakawa. Born and raised in Chiba, Japan, Miyakawa grew up in a family where flowers and ikebana were part of everyday life. Her mother and sister practised the art, while her father cultivated roses. After living in London, she moved to Vicenza, where she developed her floral design practice. [7] Her work pays particular attention to seasonality, the individuality of plants and the relationship between their forms and colours. The workshop introduces the principles of Japanese flower arranging through a practical, contemporary interpretation.

AN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY PAGODA IN THE WOODS

The afternoon continues outside.

Villa Valmarana's restored historic woodland includes trees and plants originating in East Asia, along with a pagoda dating from the late eighteenth century. The garden is part of the villa's wider historical landscape, recently restored and reopened to visitors. Its original development reflects the European fascination with distant cultures, visible in both the architecture and the botanical collections. [6] At 15:00, garden designer Silvia Lignana Bellandi, involved in the restoration and design of the Bosco, leads a 45 minute visit exploring the Asian plants, their introduction to European gardens and their cultural meanings. The woodland also hosts supervised tree climbing for children up to 12 years old.

THE PROGRAMME · SUNDAY 25 OCTOBER 2026

10:30 · CHINOISERIE AND THE FASHION FOR ASIA Guided visit to the Palazzina and Foresteria. Duration: 60 minutes. Price: Villa admission plus €5 for the guided visit.

11:45 AND 15:45 · JAPANESE INSPIRED IKEBANA Floral workshop with Eriko Miyakawa, featuring chrysanthemums. Duration: 60 minutes per session. Price: €25 per participant.

15:00 · ASIAN PLANTS IN THE HISTORIC WOODLAND Botanical walk with Silvia Lignana Bellandi. Duration: 45 minutes. Price: €10 per participant, including entrance and guide.

10:00–12:00 AND 13:00–18:00 · TREE CLIMBING Supervised tree climbing in the woodland for children up to 12 years old. Duration: approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Activity: free. Adult woodland entrance €6, or included with the Villa admission ticket. One accompanying adult is required for a maximum of two children.

Advance reservation is required for all four activities. [1]