Category: Ikebana

Introducing another Ikebana school

The 64^th annual exhibition of Ikebana International Seattle Chapter finished the first day with so much excitement.  For the first time in three years, we got together in-person and appreciated the beauty of 27 displays of flower arrangements from different schools.

Two of the arrangements are works of Koryu古流、one of the oldest Ikebana schools. 

Koryu dates back to 1770, when the picture of an Ikebana arrangement by the founder Imai Isshiken Sofu appears in the book published that year. 

Koryu emphasizes the way flowers exist in nature.  Without bending or altering too much, Koryu pursues to follow natural laws as much as possible. 

The photo above is one example of Koryu style.    

Here is another example.  They don’t use too many different kinds of materials.  Simple, yet harmonious beauty is created. I hope you enjoy both of them.

Ikebana International Seattle Chapter 19’s 64^th annual exhibition this weekend

Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

Among many events held in Seattle, two of them particularly remind me of the joy of spring.  One is Cherry Blossom Festival in April, the other is Annual Exhibition held by Ikebana International Seattle Chapter 19 in May.

At the Cherry Blossom Festival, I enjoyed making five Ikebana arrangements on stage in 45 minutes.  You can see four of the arrangements I had prepared at home the day before the demonstration.  I would say, the demonstration was 80 % successful.  It took longer than I had planned to make the first two arrangements.  Well, happenings were to be expected. 

All the arrangements were to be taken down immediately after the demonstration was over.  At least I didn’t have to worry about stability of the arrangements too much. 

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The annual exhibition this weekend, however, has a different challenge.  I have to create only one arrangement, but it will be displayed for two full days.  Many people will come to the event.  There will be “please do not touch” signage, but visitors don’t necessarily follow such signs. They might touch the flowers.  At the exhibition, the stability of each arrangement is a much higher priority than with the demonstration. 

I spent some time this afternoon contemplating what kind of arrangement I should make. I imposed on myself two requirements.  First, do not buy flowers, but cut out whatever is in bloom in the yard. Second, use a container that I haven’t used for a while.

These three flowers are available: azalea, wisteria, and Mexican orange, as shown in the photo above.  How should I combine these three flowers? 

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This is what I came up with.  The natural curve of the wisteria branch kind of repeats the surface design of the container. How do you like it?

Wisteria tends to wilt quickly.  After I cut the end of the stem underwater, I dipped it in sake for about 15 seconds.  In addition, I added a little bit of sake to the container of the water.  Use sake to prolong wisteria, is one of the tips I learned from my Ikebana teacher. 

Let’s hope the wisteria flowers will stay fresh!  (I will report to you if the flowers were kept in good shape for two days.)

Preparing for the upcoming Ikebana demonstration

This week is all about Ikebana for me.  My online Ikebana classes are scheduled for tomorrow and my in-person classes are on Saturday.  And there is an Ikeabna demonstration at Cherry Blossom Festival in Seattle Center on Sunday.

This morning I went to the local wholesale florist to purchase flower materials for the Saturday in-person and for the demonstration on Sunday.

Demonstrations are always fun as well as horrifying because almost nothing goes as previously planned.

I first rough sketch how I envision creating arrangements. The demo time is 45 minutes, so I figure I will make 4 to 5 different types of arrangements.  The first one is the most basic, and I will explain how the three stems define the basic structure of the arrangement. 

Then I will transit to showing several freestyle arrangements, each of which has some particular themes.  Am I emphasizing the beauty of lines?  Rhythm of the materials? The color contrast?  Or combinations of all three elements?  I choose containers and flower materials to match the styles I have in mind.

Then I go to the flower shop.  Chances are that I can’t find some of the materials I want.  On the fly I either have to ditch the plan to make that arrangement or look for materials that are close enough.

Today I was lucky to find materials for four out of five arrangements I planned. After I came back, I tried to put together each of them and took photos.

The first photo is a very basic one.

Next is a tall arrangement with alstroemeria and veronica.

Palm leaves and anthurium

The name of these tulips is “Shogun.”  I couldn’t help but buy them!

No matter how much I prepare beforehand, however, demonstrations rarely go exactly the way I expect.  I might cut branches too short or keep them too long.  Since I arrange flowers from behind, The condition of the flower materials may change by then.

The best thing I can do on stage on Sunday, is that I enjoy myself creating something new and beautiful every moment.      

Sogetsu School is avant-garde

Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

Founded in 1927 by Teshigahara Sofu, Sogetsu School is well known for its free, avant-garde Ikebana style.

Western magazines such as Time in the US and Le Figaro in France appropriately called Teshigahara Sofu (1900 – 1979), the founder of Sogetsu School, “Picasso of flowers.”  Sofu was instrumental in elevating Ikebana to an art form.

The motto of Sogetsu School is “Ikebana Anytime, Anywhere, Anybody.”  The arrangement is not limited to being displayed in only Tokonoma, but anywhere.  People can freely select where to arrange flowers and when.  Sofu created a methodological curriculum so that anybody who follows the textbook can create a beautiful arrangement from day 1.

Sofu was a great marketer as well. 

Soon after World War II, GHQ officers came to Japan as well as diplomats from all over the world with their own families.  Sofu taught Sogetsu Ikebana to their wives in English.  They took lessons from Sofu, and got teacher’s certificates.  When they went back home, many started teaching Sogetsu Ikebana in their own countries.

I happened to learn Sogetsu Ikebana in Seattle.  I owe to Sofu and those wives who had studied Ikebana way before I was born.  Thanks to them, Sogetsu Ikebana is so prevalent all over the world and I’m one of the beneficiaries. 

Moribana: Innovation by Ohara School of Ikebana

Moribana Style of Ohara School Ikebana: Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

While Japan closed its doors to the world from the early 17^th century until the late 19^th century, Ikebana became prevalent among people in Japan.  Not only the ruling samurai class but also the general public enjoyed arranging flowers. 

Most houses in Japan had an alcove called Tokonoma, and people displayed Ikebana there.  Since the alcove’s platform was low, people used a rather tall vase for their Ikebana. 

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Japan opened its country to the west in the late 19^th century.  The new Meiji government began to construct western-style buildings.  Foreigners came in and started building western-style homes.  These western-style buildings didn’t have Tokonokoma but were furnished with tables and chairs. 

Ohara Unshin, the founder of Ohara School of Ikebana, realized that the way to display Ikebana arrangement needs to adapt to the new building style. Replacing the previously used tall vase with a small opening, he originated and actually designed the low, flat, wide-surfaced Moribana containers for the many colorful flowers from the West. 

This new container shape greatly enlarged the scope of expression available to Ikebana.  Moribana became the main style and contributed to the increasing popularity of Ikebana.

The invention of Moribana-style ikebana is one example of how innovation enables tradition to survive and thrive. 

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In 2019 in Seattle, the fifth-generation headmaster Ohara Hiroki performed an Ikebana demonstration wearing Microsoft Holo Lens.  It was the world’s premier of combining the traditional Ikebana installation and cutting-edge mixed reality technology.

This innovative spirit of Ohara School is still alive today.

Thanks to the global economy

Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

I enjoy the bright red foliage of anthurium in my living room.  Yes, nowadays many more people are interested in indoor plants as a way to bring nature into their homes. 

But I didn’t grow up with indoor plants at home in Japan.  That doesn’t mean my parents weren’t nature lovers.  Far from it.  They used to grow bonsai trees, most of them azaleas, for years.  Once in a while, my father would decorate the entrance with the beautiful bonsai tree, full in bloom.  But as soon as the flowers were gone he took the bonsai tree back outside.

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Why didn’t my parents keep bonsai trees indoors? Since I had no knowledge about growing bonsai trees, I googled and found out its general practice.

Usually, a bonsai tree is taken from nature, and the growing environment should be closer to its original place.  In most places in Japan, there are distinct four seasons.  In the cold winter, trees become dormant. If the bonsai tree is grown indoors all year round, it can’t be exposed to the natural rhythm and it won’t survive. 

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Nowadays we are living in comfortable conditions with temperature control all year round.  Japan’s native plants are not suitable for such a condition, but tropical or semi-tropical plants are perfect.

Anthurium is from Central America.  Monstera, another of my favorite indoor plant, is also native to Central America.  So are many indoor plants.  Without the advancement of global trade, the beautiful red foliage wouldn’t have reached my living room…

The oldest school of Ikebana

Ikenobo Style Flower Arrangement: Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

Among so many different schools of Ikebana that exist today, Ikenobo池坊 is by far the oldest with over 600 years of history. 

The spirit of Ikenobo, therefore, is the spirit of Ikebana as a whole.  Even students of other Ikebana schools benefit by learning the spirit of Ikebana that Ikenobo teaches.

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What is Ikenobo’s spirit?

Flowers are not only beautiful but also reflect:

• The force of nature with which plants live in harmony.
• The feelings in our own hearts, and
• The passing of time.

In traditional styles of Ikenobo flower arrangement, branches represent mountains and flowers, water.  Nothing exists in separation, but everything in nature exists in harmony.  The arrangement is an expression of nature in an abstract form.

We humans are part of nature, and our feelings are also expressed through the arrangement.

With not only the flowers in full bloom but also hard buds, the arrangement expresses the impermanence of life. 

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The photo above is an example of an Ikenobo-style arrangement.  I hope you enjoy it.

A small temple in the middle of Kyoto is the birthplace of Ikebana

Rokkakudo Temple in Kyoto: Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

In the middle of the city of Kyoto, surrounded by tall, modern buildings of steel and concrete, this hexagonal-shaped temple building stands humbly. 

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Called Rokkakudo Temple, named after its shape (Rokkaku means hexagon), this temple is far from grander.  But for us, the students of Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arrangement, this temple is a place of significance.

The sign of Rokkakudo Temple says “The Birthplace of Flower Arrangement” Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

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Ikebana, as we know it today, dates back to the Muromachi Period in the fifteenth century.

The ruling samurai clan in Muromachi Period (1336 – 1573) started to build gorgeous houses with alcoves called tokonoma. These alcoves became the special space to display a household’s precious treasures. The samurai showed off their ornate vases imported from China by decorating them on the tokonoma.

It was one of the tasks of the Dohoshu, usually Buddhist monks who served the Muromachi shogunate and other powerful samurai clans, to decorate the tokonoma with beautiful flowers and plants.

One day, Ikenobo Senkei（池坊専慶）, a Buddhist monk of Rokkakudo Temple, was invited to a samurai’s residence and made a gorgeous flower decoration.  The decoration was so impressive that another monk who saw it wrote how great it was in his journal. 

Thanks to this monk’s writing, we know that it was precisely in 1462.  Hence Rokkakudo Temple is said to be the birthplace of Ikebana, and the Ikenobo School is said to be the origin of Ikebana.

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Ikenobo School is the oldest, and the largest school of Ikebana today.  Behind the Rokkakudo Temple is the headquarters of Ikenobo School.  Many students come to take classes here. 

In front of the headquarters building is an Ikebana sculpture.  This sculpture is modeled from a painting of arrangements made by Ikenobo Senko 池坊専好(1575 – 1658).

Source: Ikenobo School Website

The process of making an arrangement

Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

Held in Seattle every February, the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival is an exhibition of horticulture and gardening.  It’s the second largest show of this kind in the country.

For 5 days, the usually monotonous event venue is completely transformed into lavish gardens.  It’s always a delight to see the latest gardening trends and learn ideas on how to take of plants and landscaping.

Ikebana International Seattle Chapter is a regular participant in this annual festival.

Every year members of our chapter display Ikebana flower arrangements, sit in the booth and answer any questions the visitors might have about Ikebana.  Unlike other merchant booths, we don’t sell anything.  We simply share the joy of creating our ikebana flower arrangements.

The visitors come from all over the states, even from Canada.  Every time we hear words of admiration from those visitors, we feel accomplished.  We bring our own flower materials.  The parking fee is going up, but we volunteers are happy to be attending the booth because our reward is to hear such admiration.  Our hope is many more people get to know the beauty of Ikebana and get interested in learning it themselves.

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I was assigned to place my arrangement where people will be looking from not only from the front but from all directions.  While breaking symmetry, how can I make something interesting, something pleasing to the eyes?  Keeping three basic elements of Ikebana, line, mass, and color, I prepared my arrangement.

I started by creating a horizontal line with forsythia branches.  Forsythia’s bright yellow flowers bloom first thing in February in my yard. The buds were still hard, so I cut branches and kept them inside for several days so that they hasten to blossom. 

I used a round container with a small opening on top.  With this shape of the container, I can place long branches horizontally without tipping over the container.

The lines extend from the center to the side, showing the naturally beautiful curves.  I made sure that the tip of the branches extended upwards, not downward, so that the energy flow of the arrangement is uplifting, not sagging. The secret of keeping the branch upward like this is hidden inside the mouth of the container.  How exactly? Well, if you take an Ikebana class, the teacher will tell you the tricks you can use.  It requires practice to master the trick, however. 

Next, I chose camellias.  The shiny, thick leaves with vivid green, and the burning red color of the flowers… I thought the camellia will be a nice contrast to the bright yellow of forsythia. 

Camellia branches are also pretty long, but I cut them much shorter than those of forsythia.  The basic structure of the arrangement is already defined by the lines created by the graceful forsythia branches, and I didn’t want to obstruct the structure by adding too long branches of camellia.  Rather, I kept the camellia branches shorter and placed them strategically so that dense green leaves create volume here and there, and red colors on top of it. 

The forsythia lines are sparse, and the camellia green leaves are dense in the center.  This sparsity and density create a nice rhythm to the arrangement.  The vivid red flowers on the tip of the green branches add an accent color.

Lastly, I placed lacy white baby breath in between.  Since the color contrast of yellow, red, and green is stark, I wanted to add some softness to the arrangement.  Baby breath is such a great material for this purpose.  Its lacy flowers, placed delicately on top of the vivid red and green, do not hide them completely.  Rather, the baby breath flowers become like a translucent shade to camellia, giving them a somewhat mysterious impression.

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I’m not a professional photographer.  I tend to believe that the real arrangement is far better than that in the photo above.  Hopefully, this article helps you understand the process of how such an arrangement is created. 

Our booth was not set ready yesterday, but by now all the arrangements must be complete.  I will be going back to our booth again tomorrow evening as a hostess, so I will take photos of all the arrangements and share them with you.  Please stay tuned!