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Japan Forward
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
Daniel Patterson, In Love with Flowers
I love to write about people I meet who like to wear kimono. Recently, I met Daniel Patterson and was impressed by his friendly disposition and how great he looked in kimono. And his beautiful Instagram, full of his ikebana works. A Canadian guy wearing a soft pink kimono, with blond hair and blue eyes, is going to stand out. We arranged to go to the Yamato flea market together, and he cut a fine figure there, with many people stopping him to say how cool he looked. Daniel Patterson (©Sheila Cliffe) At the flea market with Daniel Patterson (©Sheila Cliffe) Daniel's first encounter with anything Japanese was when he studied Ryukyu-style karate in junior high school. After completing several degrees at university, he secured a place on the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme, better known as the JET program, and finally came to Japan in 2006. This landed him in Takamatsu, where he became head of the JET program in Kagawa, and after that, in Shikoku. After 5 years, he moved to Yokohama and started teaching at Tokyo International School in Nakameguro. He worked there for eight years and headed the kindergarten program for three. Since 2020, he has been teaching at Yokohama International School. Ikebana by Daniel Patterson. Ikebana by Daniel Patterson. Sometimes, Daniel would be drawn to ikebana flower arrangements that he would see in random places around Japan. Once, there was a small exhibition of ikebana outside his local department store. He stopped to look at it and mentioned to his co-worker that he thought it looked really cool. He told her that he would love to do something like that, but he had no artistic talent whatsoever. She replied that she thought it was lovely too, and they should try to take a trial lesson somewhere. Daniel went home and googled "ikebana in English, Yokohama." That way, he found a teacher offering a trial lesson. It was at that first lesson that something special happened for Daniel. While holding the branches in his hand, he felt an instant change inside him. He suddenly felt that some kind of wire inside him that had been broken, was now reconnected. It was, he said, an amazing experience. Ikebana by Daniel Patterson. Ikebana by Daniel Patterson. He fell instantly in love with ikebana. That happened in 2016, and he started going to two or even three classes a week, and was practicing at home as well. He couldn't get enough of ikebana. Daniel found it easy to progress at the start of learning ikebana because there were rules and measurements for making each form. However, after a while, he had to try freestyle arranging. He found this much more difficult because he was afraid of breaking rules. His concern about the principles meant he had difficulty with his free expression. As he continued, however, he found his unique sense of style. Describing his thinking as unconventional, he is striving not to be held back, and to constantly work on freeing himself to the unlimited possibilities for creative expression. He has passed his 2nd grade teaching level of the Sogetsu School. Now, he is aiming to take the 1st level. Ikebana by Daniel Patterson. Explaining his passion, Daniel told me, "Sogetsu Ikebana is special because it is an amazing abstract modern art which holds the traditions of the past while having movement and change in time. It combines the essences of nature, spirituality, and humanity to express what happens around us and the emotions of the artist." He has participated in the annual Sogetsu show at Nihonbashi Takashimaya and at a local show in Yokohama, and also held a show jointly with a ceramicist. In addition, he has made flower arrangements for many businesses. He teaches privately and does seminars and events for special days such as Christmas or Valentine's Day. Daniel is about to embark on the next chapter of his ikebana journey under the tutelage of Saihou Ozono, whose work is very unbridled and creative. Under Sensei Ozono's artistic eye, Daniel hopes to embrace the abstract more and lose his insecurities about the rules. Also, he is looking forward to making larger pieces. He is very excited as he has been watching Saihou Ozono for a few years and believes that they have a compatible way of thinking and approach to creativity. It was at a Sogetsu Shinenkai, the first New Year's party since the pandemic, that Daniel first wore kimono. Just as he was thinking about wanting to wear one, @menskimonolife popped up on his social media. He sent a message and ordered a kimono to be made up for the New Year's party. (©Sheila Cliffe) Daniel Patterson in pink kimono (©Sheila Cliffe) Feeling a bit intimidated by it the first time, he had a friend help him dress. However, he really enjoyed the experience and thought that the kimono suited him well. Many compliments going to and from the party helped him feel more comfortable. Then, he wore men's kimono again for a client's party, and she encouraged him to make kimono a part of his life. After practicing for several hours, he eventually felt like he could do it well. Now he feels comfortable wearing kimono, even though he really stands out, and is enjoying colorful, kimono fashion. His natural love for colors is expressed through his kimono as well as through his flower art. Through kimono, he says, he has made many new and interesting connections with people. Daniel has been featured on NHK Workpedia and in several other media outlets. He is looking forward to seeing his kimono style develop and discovering how it interacts with his growing ikebana skills. In the future, he would like to participate in more shows and events. He'd also like to teach and share the art of ikebana around the world. It is a joy to see Daniel spreading such beauty into his world through his stunning floral creations! See Daniel's work on Instagram . Daniel Patterson (©Sheila Cliffe) Author: Sheila Cliffe Read other columns on kimono by the author .
Hindustan Times
26-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
COFEPOSA invoked, Ranya Rao to stay in jail for 1 year with no bail in gold smuggling case
Kannada actress Ranya Rao has been booked under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act, 1974, in connection with an alleged gold smuggling case, making her ineligible for bail for a year. According to Mathrubhumi, authorities have said that the Act was invoked to prevent her from conducting any further smuggling activities upon release. They cited her non-cooperation with investigating agencies as a reason for this move. At present, Ranya Rao is lodged in the Bengaluru Central Prison along with other two accused Tarun Raju and Sahil Sakaria Jain, both of whom have also been booked under the COFESPA Act. Meanwhile, the Karnataka high court on Saturday refused to grant bail to Rao and co-accused Raju. Ranya Rao was arrested at the Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 after officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) found her in possession of 14.2 kg of gold bars worth ₹12.5 crore, upon her arrival from Dubai. Raju, on the other hand, was arrested on March 9. While Rao's counsel argued that she had been 'falsely implicated in the case,' the senior advocate representing DRI opposed her bail plea and told the court that the agency's probe has so far revealed 100 kgs of gold had been smuggled by the actress and her friend Tarun Raju to India from Dubai. The central agency has claimed that Rao and Raju took over 20 trips to Dubai together between January and March this year alone. They suspect that overall, Rao made 56 trips to Dubai between 2023 and 2025. Besides DRI, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate have also registered separate cases to probe any possible role of government officials, including the Kannada actress' stepfather, DGP Ramachandra Rao, in the smuggling. Ramachandra Rao was serving as the chairperson and managing director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited at the time of Ranya's arrest. He has been placed on compulsory leave by the Karnataka government. Earlier this week, the high court had also questioned as to why Ranya Rao was granted VIP protocol and police escort at the Bengaluru airport, which allegedly helped her evade security checks on several trips she allegedly took to Dubai.
Arab News
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan says seeking details on student visa cancelations from US missions
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Foreign Office said on Thursday the country was seeking details from its missions in the United States regarding reports about the cancelation of visas of Pakistani students, assuring that the embassy would provide full assistance to those affected. The President Donald Trump administration has revoked hundreds of international student visas across the country, setting off a desperate scramble for them to leave the United States within days. Universities have reported some students being forced to leave immediately, in many cases after discovering their visas were canceled in the federal Student Exchange and Visitor Information System or via an unexpected text or email. Immigration experts say they have never seen the US federal government make such sweeping changes to the ordinarily low-profile process of hosting international students. The National Immigration Project is challenging the visa cancelations, which have affected students in California, Colorado, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts and Florida, among others. Social media reports suggest Pakistani students are also among those who have faced visa cancelations. 'About the student visa cancelation, we are seeking these details from our missions in the US and will respond accordingly,' foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters at a weekly press briefing. 'Our missions will continue to provide full support and assistance to the affected Pakistani students if any by engaging with the relevant US agencies,' he added. According to a tracker maintained by Inside Higher Ed, an American online publication of news, opinion, resources, events and jobs in the higher education sphere, more than 80 universities across the country have reported visa cancelations affecting both students and faculty. Some of the cancelations appear to be connected to things as minor as roommate disputes or off-campus traffic tickets, university officials have said, while others appear to be connected to pro-Palestinian protest participation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed last month that over 300 visas had been annulled, stating that the focus was on individuals allegedly involved in activities deemed contrary to American national interests. Earlier this week, the US Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) announced that the US Department of State has discontinued its Global Undergraduate (Global UGRAD) exchange program for Pakistani students after 15 years. The move is part of Trump's broader aid cuts aimed at pressuring governments to align with US foreign policy. The cuts have affected various food, education, medical and cultural exchange programs. 'The recent discontinuation of the global undergraduate exchange program between Pakistan and the United States marked the end of a 15-year initiative that played a pivotal role in the academic and cultural enrichment of thousands of Pakistani students,' the FO spokesperson said. 'We believe that student exchange programs play an important role in strengthening bilateral relations by focusing on education, scientific and technological collaboration, and more importantly people-to-people contact.'
