Brussels' historic Grand-Place hosted the 24th edition of its biennial Flower Carpet from August 13 to 16, 2026. The installation covered nearly 14,000 square feet of the UNESCO World Heritage square with more than 750,000 fresh dahlias.
Japanese artist Hiro Sugiyama designed this year's composition, titled "Neo Hokusai," as a tribute to ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai. The design reimagines Hokusai's famous 1830-1832 woodblock print "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa" from the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji.
The floral interpretation renders the iconic wave in bright magenta, vermilion, and yellow tones, framed by ornate patterns. Flowers cover approximately 80 percent of the total design area.
The event commemorates 160 years of diplomatic friendship between Belgium and Japan. The dahlias were sourced through a partnership with Bloemencorso Loenhout, a flower parade that has operated for 75 years in the northern Belgian city of Loenhout.
The Flower Carpet tradition began in 1971 and has featured varying floral species over the decades. The 2018 edition used one million begonias for a design highlighting Mexico's Guanajuato region, while the 2024 edition also employed dahlias.
Bloemencorso Loenhout's 2026 parade is scheduled to begin on September 12, following its collaboration with the Grand-Place installation.
Brussels’ Grand-Place Is Carpeted with 750,000 Fresh Dahlias in a Tribute to Hokusai
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