Ikebana is a Japanese art of flower arrangement; also known as kado– “the way of flowers”. I learned about this art form while I was a college junior at Saint Louis University, Baguio City, Philippines. I was so much enthralled by the beauty of the flower arrangement displayed in one of the display windows of a flower studio close to the university. The studio was owned by an elderly woman who was married to a Japanese businessman. They owned a flower and antique shop specializing in Japanese potteries, prints, and other relics while selling potted bonsai and Ikebana flower arrangements. Their store was frequented by the affluent locals and their flower arrangements graced the lobbies of some of the popular hotels and restaurants in the city. My curiosity led me to go inside and investigate further. The old lady was nice enough to let me in and answered a lot of my questions. Since then, for two months after my chemistry class, I would go to her shop and watched her as she arranged flowers for customers. I particularly enjoyed learning the Ikebana flower arrangement from her. She allowed me to help her create the arrangements as I learned the art. She then presented me with a beautiful Ikebana which I gave to my paternal grandmother for her 80th birthday.
Ikebana’s origin is said to date from the sixth century when Buddhist priests offered up flowers before Buddha. Ikebana arose from early Buddhist offerings and grew throughout the fifteenth century into an art form with many styles and schools all over Japan. The most popular styles are Sogetsu, Ohara, and Ikenobo.
Ikebana flower arrangement is simplistic by nature. Instead of using massive blooms which is the traditional way of arranging flowers, Ikebana uses only a small number of blooms. It uses the line and curves of twigs and leaves to highlight the arrangement. The balance of the composition is evident in the choice of plant, vase, and placement of the branches. What makes Ikebana different from the traditional flower arrangement is its use of empty spaces as a part of the composition which is dealt with creatively. The arrangement used symbolism representing ten or shin (heaven), chi or hikae (earth), and jin or soe (man).
SYMBOLISM:
Heaven: This is the longest stem which suggests the sun in heaven. This is the main line where branches and twigs are used. It is important to choose the branch which is the longest, most beautiful, and has the strongest curve.
Man: The symbol is a rectangle which is the medium stem. This suggests a man standing squarely on earth. This line follows the main line.
Earth: The symbol is a triangle and is the shortest stem. This suggests a mountain peak on earth. This line balances heaven and man.
The container used also plays a key element to the arrangement. Most vases have simple designs, one that doesn’t compete with the beauty of the arrangement within. The choice of the vase has to be in harmony with the plant and other compositions. Ikebana can be roughly divided into two styles – the moribana (shallow vase style) and the nageire (tall vase style). Generally, these simple vases are filled with water then by adding twigs and/or branches, rocks, and flowers to the arrangement and adjusting the height of each element to achieve the variation of a scalene triangle.
The materials used for an Ikebana is restricted to two or three kinds, and not more than that. Branches and twigs are used as main lines while flowers are used as additional lines. The larger and darker blooms are positioned at the lowest part of the arrangement while the buds or smaller flowers with lighter shades are placed higher. Using scissors to cut the height of each element and by moving or repositioning each element helps in achieving a balanced look.
Ikebana is a beautiful, elegant, and simple way to decorate a home. This is a very good choice to decorate a clutter-free home, where less is always more. This is a true art form that you can enjoy as well as add balance and harmony to your design.
