Japan Grand Prix International Orchid Festival 2010 世界らん展日本大賞
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The Japan Grand Prix International Orchid Festival 2010 was held during Feb. 13-21, 2010 at Tokyo Dome. I attended this show for the first time on Feb. 20, 2010. Regular admission was 2,000 yen.
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It was the show's 20th anniversary. The first show was held in 1991. Tokyo Dome's entire field was covered with orchids, orchid flower arrangements, orchid artwork, and stalls selling orchids.
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There are six major categories including fragrance, flower displays, flower designs (Japanese and western arrangements), artwork (photos, paintings, etc.), and individual flowers. Huge crowds on weekends.
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Main entrance to the floor exhibits.
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The entrance leads to "Orchid Road."
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Orchid Road
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The best time to photograph the flowers is 10 min. before closing time (5:30 pm) when there are few people around.
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Years Plates to mark the show's 20th anniversary. Each plate has 1,500 to 30,000 flowers.
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The chairman of the show's organizing committee is Fukuhara Yoshiharu who is also the director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography and honorary chairman of Shiseido Cosmetics.
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This year's Japan Grand Prix winner.
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This year's Japan Grand Prix winner.
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This year's Japan Grand Prix winner.
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This year's Japan Grand Prix winner.
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Besides the Grand Prix winner, there are many other awards, ribbons, and medals given to the best orchids.
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Trophy Awards
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Blue Ribbons for overseas winners.
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There is an incredible vareity of orchids. Very exotic looking ones too.
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Never seen orchids like these.
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One of the grand prizes is this Mercedes-Benz.
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Check out this orchid windmill, one of the showpiece exhibits.
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The windmill rotated.
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Orchids galore
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All these flowers were a good way to see how well my new Canon EOS 7D camera could render the colors accurately. All these subtle colors can be difficult to reproduce.
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Niagara Falls. No doubt this design idea came from fireworks.
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During the show, they also held various stage programs such as lectures and panel discussions.
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On Feb. 20, Sat., I decided to see a kimono show put on by Mimatsu, a kimono maker.
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They showed beautiful kimono by models dressed to reflect the past.
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The kimono had flowery designs, but not sure if they were orchids.
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They also gave a geisha-like dance performance.
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In an instant, her wardrobe changes.
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The kimono models also walked through the audience seats.
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Card player?
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Photo for my next Valentine's card.
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Large heartful installation.
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Another photo for my Valentine's card.
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All kinds of orchid installations....
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Treasure Box full of orchids...
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This one caught everyone's eye.
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"Home Run" is the title of this display. Obvious reference to Tokyo Dome's baseball diamond and to the word "ran" which means orchid.
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Squirrel made of old man's beard lichen.
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Mikoshi portable shrines serve as this design's motif.
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Simple, but beautiful. A crowd favorite.
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These flowers amazed everyone with man-made patterns painted or stamped on the petals. I overheard someone comment that they looked too "unnatural."
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Sakura design on orchids.
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Snowflakes
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Fireworks. (In Japanese, fireworks are literally called "fire flowers" or hanabi.
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Thailand
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Rotating display in the middle.
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Lights
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Look like jellyfish
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Enclosed by a water tank
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Individual flower exhibits
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These people work hard to have the flowers bloom at their peak for the show.
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I'm not an orchid expert so I can't tell you what their names are.
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Plushenko
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Golden Gate
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Overseas Table Display had small flower displays created by overseas people.
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USA
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Vietnam/Indonesia
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Taiwan
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New Zealand
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Ecuador
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USA
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Taiwan
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Venezuala
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Italy
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Show's orchid queen was Yonekura Kyoko, an actress.
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Picture-taking corner
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Japanese orchid display
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Orchids for sale at numerous flower booths. I was looking for a booth from Hawaii, but couldn't find the word "Hawaii." They always say that they are only from "USA." Next time, include "Hawaii" please.
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Artwork category
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Kimono with orchid design
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Surprised to see this fragrance category. I tried to smell them, but could hardly make out the fragrance. Thanks to Lucia for inviting me to this show.
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