The Japanese islands are one of the regions in the world known for their rich flora. This is reflected in the various ways classical literature and art use plant motifs. One example is the large plant related vocabulary used for kigo (season words) in haiku. Japan's location off the Asian coast enabled plum and peach to enter from China very early in its history. The ways these were adopted and absorbed into Japanese culture is clear. But as time passed, ways of relating to plants took on some particularities. Examples are the preference for single, small flowers such as the c. wabisuke a variety of camellia or the enjoyment of producing mutations such as variegated or cristate leaves. This unusual practice started during the medieval period. Also, the ideal forms of bonsai, which originated in China as a way to appreciate dwarfed trees, show very deferent developments in the two cultures. Cacti and succulents enjoyed as ornamental plants since the Meiji period underwent crossbreeding, developing techniques such as variegation, fasciation and forma monstrosa. During the Bakumatsu and Meiji periods, a large number of indigenous Japanese plants found their way to horticulturists in Europe and North America where they were prized and cross-fertilized to create new varieties. Aucuba, hydrangea, hosta and camellia although native to Japan had not, for various reasons, enjoyed much popularity in their homeland. However, new varieties of these plants have reentered Japan in recent years and ""? are now enjoyed by plant connoisseurs. In contrast, Japanese morning glory, lily-of-China, asarabacca, primula sieboldii, nandina domestica, adonis amurensis, psilotum nudum, ardisia crenata and ardisia japonica are highly prized in Japan but have not been received widely in other parts of the world. Why are aucuba and Japanese morning glory appreciated differently? Turning ones eyes to other countries with rich traditions of horticulture we see similar phenomena in the distribution and appreciation of their indigenous plants. Variations and changes in relating to plants provide a ground for comparing some characteristics of Japanese culture with other regions of the world.

代表者	光田　和伸	国際日本文化研究センター研究部・助教授
Organizer	劉　　建輝	国際日本文化研究センター研究部・助教授
Team Researcher	小川佳世子	元大手前女子大学大学院生
〃	荻巣　樹徳	東方植物文化研究所・主宰
〃	押川かおり	武庫川女子大学・非常勤講師
〃	加藤　類子	池坊短期大学・教授
〃	黒柳　敦子	武庫川女子大学・非常勤講師
〃	小林　善帆	滋賀文化短期大学・非常勤講師
〃	横谷　一子	近畿大学・講師
〃	川勝　平太	国際日本文化研究センター研究部・教授
〃	早川　聞多	国際日本文化研究科文化資料研究企画室・教授
〃	山田　奨治	国際日本文化研究センター研究部・助教授
〃	ボイカ・エリトヴァ・ツィゴヴァ	ソフィア大学東アジア学科　　国際日本文化研究センター ・準教授外国人研究員
〃	朴　　銓烈	韓国中央大学校文化大学　　国際日本文化研究センター ・教授外国人研究員