January, 2004 marked the 43rd anniversary of the founding of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. This year, in keeping with our tradition, a special anniversary program brought the chapter's founder, Kuwako Biho Takahashi, and past president Phyllis Cima to the stage to demonstrate ikebana.

Also on this day we joined the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco and the Japan Society of Northern California to celebrate 150 years of USA-Japan Relations which were initiated by the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry in Japan.. Our honored guests were Ms. Akiko Sugita, Director of the Japan Information Center, and Mrs. Anna Nakamura, wife of the Consul General.

Kuwako Biho Takahashi
Sogetsu School

Phyllis Cima
Ikenobo School