Kazuko Mathews
Sen Bana No Saki (Thousand Blossoms)
1980

Project Area: Little Tokyo
Project: Honda Plaza
Project Location: 400 E. Second Street
Project Type: Developer

Description:

"Thousand Blossoms" is a ceramic 6'h x 22'w mural that depicts flower-like historic crests. The piece, divided in a variety of patterns assembled directly on the panel at the top of Honda Plaza facing San Pedro Street. The largest crest, located at the center of the entire work, represents the family of the late Bob Honda, the Nisei developer of the building.

The artist also included one for her own family (two bamboos and an umbrella) in the lower part of the smallest of the work's two panels. Others symbolize the Little Tokyo Community Advisory Committee, and Takei Construction, which designed the building. Good fortune and long life are represented by the double crane. The symbol of Buddhism is depicted by the eight section wheel to the upper right of the double crane.