The Japanese Embassy in Seoul opened a special flower exhibition Wednesday to mark the 10th anniversary of the Ohara School of Ikebana's Seoul chapter, presenting ikebana, or the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement, as a symbol of cultural exchange between the two countries. Organized jointly by the embassy and the Ohara School Seoul Chapter, the two-day exhibition runs through Thursday at the embassy's Public Information and Culture Center in central Seoul. The event commemorates the ten-year anniversarry of the establishment of the Seoul branch and highlights the role of traditional arts in fostering people-to-people exchanges. Ikebana dates back centuries and emphasizes harmony, balance and the beauty of nature over elaborate decoration. The Ohara School, one of Japan's leading ikebana institutions, was founded in 1895 and is particularly renowned for its "moribana" style, which recreates natural landscapes using seasonal flowers and branches set in shallow containers. The exhibition features more than 50 floral arrangements by 42 artists from the Ohara School's Seoul and