Aiko's Flowers - Tapa dura

Even though her mother and grandmother learned the art of ikebana, or Japanese flower arranging, Aiko is frustrated with her efforts and wonders why she must learn it

ebana flower arranging is a popular art in its native Japan and around the world. But for little Aiko it brings only frustration. She can hardly believe that her mother ever found it as difficult as she does. She can’t even understand why she has to learn ikebana at all, just because her mother did, and her mother before her. Learning a traditional discipline is not easy, but Aiko begins to see the beauty that exists in each bloom after meeting an old woman in a field of sunflowers.