The Art of Japanese Flower Arranging
Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, has been practiced for centuries in Japan. It began more than 500 years ago to arrange lotus flowers for the Buddha. Today, Japanese flower arranging is still evolving, fresh and flexible, and still infused with the traditions of Japanese art and techniques.
Ikebana is an active collaboration between arrangers and living flowers. The connection with nature and the inner experience of the seasons are important, and feelings evoked by nature, the materials, the colors, and the emotions of the moment are reflected in the arrangement. Aesthetic elements from Japanese culture are visible within Ikebana: harmony, simplicity, asymmetry, feeling for nature and transience.
“The spirit of Ikebana applies to all periods while the style of works may change over time.”
“Emphasize one flower, one branch. Create the arrangement as an essence of Nature.”
(From the Fifty Principles of Sogetsu)