Ikebana and Japanese Culture: An Introduction to the Way of Flowers

Ikebana in Japanese Culture

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Reading about Japan, you may have heard about ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement. There are plenty of opportunities to experience it during a trip to Japan, either through ikebana workshops or exhibitions that are regularly held in major cities.

More than an elegant pastime, ikebana is a way of connecting to nature and the seasons. For those who seek a deeper understanding of Japanese culture, it offers insights into how nature and the seasons are perceived in Japan.

This is the first installment of a series of articles on ikebana, which will feature information on the origins of this art, major schools, the main styles of ikebana, specialty shops where you can find tools and vessels, and ikebana exhibitions and workshops.

Ikebana and Japanese Culture, Part 1

1. Author Introduction
2. The Difference Between Ikebana and Flower Arrangement
3. The Personality-Shaping Features of Ikebana
4. Today's Ikebana

Author Introduction

I'm Ramona, English content editor at MATCHA, and I've been practicing Ikenobo school ikebana since June 2012. I started soon after arriving in Japan as a foreign student.

My major was Japanese literature, in which flowers and trees often appear as symbols and motifs. In Japanese poems and stories, flowers express emotions and aspects of life, suggesting that humans and the natural environment are interconnected.

What has kept me motivated to continue taking ikebana lessons over the years is that I discover something new about Japanese culture each time. Twelve years on, the feeling of wonder shows no signs of faltering.

Ikebana work by the author displayed at the Ikenobo School Spring Ikebana Exhibition in Tokyo, May 2023

I currently hold the Professor - Level 3 certification, which allows me to teach basic courses and have my arrangements displayed at exhibitions. Ikebana is already an important part of my life and I plan to continue practicing it - and maybe even opening my own ikebana class someday.

Ikebana and Flower Arrangement: The Difference Between Them

Ikebana is often defined as a type of flower arrangement that was born and developed in Japan.

However, ikebana differs from other floral arts in that flowers are the subject when creating an arrangement. The flowers serve as the main characters, rather than merely objects to be manipulated according to human will.

When you work on an ikebana arrangement, the first thing you do is pick up each flower or branch and observe its features. Each flower has a "personality," which is crucial for determining the role it will play in the arrangement.

Is it suitable for the lead role? Or would it serve better in a supporting role, helping the main character stand out? These are the decisions you make by carefully examining the flowers.

Moreover, in ikebana, the flowers are arranged in such a way that they retain their distinct characteristics. For instance, a rose will still look like a rose in the arrangement. Tearing off its petals and using them separately is not acceptable in ikebana.

The Personality-Shaping Features of Kado, the Way of Flowers

Ikebana exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Musem, March 2021

A strange thing happens when you look at a flower or branch and "listen" to it, trying to grasp its features. The center of your attention shifts from yourself to the flower.

You become an "outside presence," helping the flowers look their best in the arrangement, much like an assistant preparing a star performer for the stage.

Remember that you're dealing with living flowers and branches that have already been cut. Life wilts away from them in a matter of hours or days.

Ikebana gives the flowers a chance to shine in a beautiful work of art before they fade away. Some authors attribute this perspective to Buddhist philosophy, but I believe it ties to the basic human instinct of caring for life—rooted in mercy and empathy. Someone who cares about the life of a flower or branch is likely to care about the lives of other living creatures as well.

There are various ways and techniques to prolong the life of flowers, but an arrangement containing flowers will last at most three days. An arrangement with tree branches can last a few weeks if properly cared for.

The word ikebana itself comes from 生ける (ikeru), which means "make live," and shares roots with ikiru, meaning "to live," and the Japanese word for "life."

In other words, flowers become the center of the universe when you're creating an ikebana work. Everything else, including your own consciousness, revolves around the flowers for an hour or two while you're working on the arrangement.

By engaging in this practice regularly, you become less self-centered. You develop an awareness of the natural environment, the seasons, and the unique features of each plant. Before you know it, you start noticing the needs of the people around you more easily.

This is why ikebana has been regarded as a personality-shaping endeavor, much like the tea ceremony or martial arts.

It served as a way to educate children about the natural environment before formal schooling existed. It has also been a method for people to cultivate skills essential for social life.

Kado, "the way of flowers," written as 華道 in Japanese, is another term for ikebana as a pursuit—an activity in which flowers help you acquire a new perspective on the world.

It may seem like you are creating the arrangement, but remember that the flowers are the subject. Listen to what they have to say; they will guide you in bringing beauty into the world. In ikebana, you are the flowers' disciple.

Today's Ikebana

Shoka-style ikebana with sunflowers, susuki (silver grass), and pink carnations

September marks the transition from summer to autumn in Japan, so this month's ikebana works combine elements from both seasons. In this arrangement, I featured sunflowers to evoke summer and silver grass, a beloved September motif in Japan. Silver grass is also used in the decorations for the Harvest Moon Festival (Tsukimi).

In the next installment, I will briefly outline the early history of ikebana.