BRUSSELS, (Unib Rashid) – More than 20,000 visitors viewed Brussels’ iconic flower carpet from the balcony of the historic Town Hall over the weekend, as the city celebrated 160 years of diplomatic relations between Belgium and Japan.

According to the organisers, approximately 20,800 ticket-holding visitors climbed to the Town Hall balcony to enjoy a panoramic view of the spectacular floral installation spread across the Grand Place.

This year’s flower carpet was inspired by “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” the renowned masterpiece by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. The artwork was recreated using around 750,000 dahlias arranged across an area of nearly 1,700 square metres.

The organisers said the design was selected to highlight the long-standing cultural and diplomatic ties between Belgium and Japan, bringing Japanese artistic heritage to the heart of Brussels.

While access to the Town Hall balcony required a ticket, the Grand Place itself remained freely accessible to the public, allowing residents and tourists to admire the colourful floral display from the square.

The Brussels Flower Carpet is one of the Belgian capital’s best-known cultural events, attracting visitors from Belgium and abroad every two years.

The 25th edition of the Flower Carpet is scheduled for 2028, while next year Brussels will host a new edition of Flowertime, a floral exhibition held inside the Brussels Town Hall.