Japanese-style flower arrangement: Ikebana

Ikebana is a Japanese floral art. Its origin can be traced back to the 7th century when Buddhism was introduced to Japan. As Buddhist ritual involves offering of flowers on the altar, priests began to create and specialize in flower arrangements for the ritual offering.

In the 15^th century, a Buddhist monk, Ikenobo Senno of Rokkakudo Temple in Kyoto, founded Ikenobo, the oldest school of Ikebana. The nobles were the first to learn the flower arrangements from the priests.

After establishing its first classical style, Ikebana rose to the status of an art form in the mid-15^th century. As years passed, the secular art branched into many schools. With the evolution of patterns and styles, the commoners began to appreciate Ikebana as well.

The remarkable development of Ikebana in Japan can be attributed to the Japanese’s extreme love of natural beauty. They have always felt a closeness with their natural surroundings and display a remarkably strong desire to express the beauty of nature around them.

Ikebana is a creative expression but it has to conform to prescribed rules, and the specific ways that materials can be combined.

Plant materials such as flowers, leaves, branches, fruits, grasses, and mosses are used. Even buds, seed pods, and withered leaves are highly valued as much as blooming flowers.

Minimal number of stalks and leaves is to be used to form the elegant contours that highlight the beauty of the flowers. Importance is placed on the empty space between the flowers, plants or branches.

The container should be carefully chosen as there must be harmony between flower and container. Both of these must also blend in well with the settings.

Emphasis is placed on colour combination, shape, line and form.

The disciplined floral arrangement aims to bring nature and humanity closer together.

Although its religious significance has diminished, Ikebana continues to retain strong symbolic and philosophical overtones.

Since its creation seven centuries ago, Ikebana patterns and styles have evolved into many different styles of arrangement. The most common ones are:

Established in the 15^th century, Rikka is the first formal style of flower arrangement and is governed by strict rules.

In 1999, Rikka was divided into two varieties – the traditional Rikka Shofutai and the modern Rikka Shimputai.

Rikka Shofutai is the most formal Ikebana style. A scenic natural landscape is expressed by using different length, angles and directions of nine main stems or parts.

Rikka Shimputai is not subject to the rigid rules and form of traditional Ikebana. It allows greater freedom in the creative expression of the flower arranger.

Developed in the late 17^th century, Nageire is known for its elegant simplicity. Its basic composition is the leaning style. It is divided into three categories, namely Chokutai (upright), Shatai (slanting), and Suitai (cascading).

Plant materials are usually arranged in a narrow-mouthed, tall cylindrical container without the use of a pin holder, Kenzan.

Shoka or Seika was evolved from Nageire and is said to be the most difficult of all Ikebana styles. The flower arranger needs to have a good understanding of the natural environment, characteristics and habitat of the materials used to be able to bring out its natural beauty.

In 1977, it was divided into two types – classical Shoka Shofutai and modern Shoka Shimputai.

Shoka Shofutai uses three main flowers, plants, or branches to symbolize heaven, earth and man, an expression of harmony between man and nature.

Shoka Shimputai is similar in concept to Rikka Shimputai, which allows the flower arranger to have more freedom in the creation process.

Invented at the turn of the 20^th century, Moribana is the most basic structure in Ikebana. It has two kinds of arrangement – upright and slanting.

Flat, shallow container (such as “suiban” or basket) and shorter stemmed flowers are used in a formalized style.

Besides the above, many more modern styles have been created over the years. These include the Free Style, whose materials used are not just confined to floral materials. Paper, plastic, metal, etc. may be used for the creative expression.

Among the few thousands schools, Ikenobo, Sogetsu and Ohara are the three popular schools that predominate now.

From post-war onwards, Japanese-style flower arrangement became more widespread and is now practised worldwide. Even after seven centuries, Ikebana still remains as one of the most distinct arts in Japanese culture.

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