Ikebana in My Perspective

I have learned Ikebana first time as an extracurricular program in Yamaguchi University. This was first time for me to arrange flowers in a formal and serious manner. The first touch was very hard for me as I am not so familiar with flowers although I used to love it as I like gardening when I was a children.

Ikebana that I've learned is free style one. However, it has some technical rules. First, always cut the flowers or branch, sometime we use branches, in the water and make sure to cut at a slant. Second, arrange the lowest part of flowers in a line. Upper part have to arrange in a way to make "camouflage" - to cover unwanted lower parts. Leaves has to be arrange in "push-hand" position rather than "receive-hand" position. Third, only use 4 kinds of flowers - minimalist. Forth, put a meaning on your arrangement for example, 2 old branches means grandfather and grandmother, 2 branches with leaves pictures a parents, 3 small flowers pictures a kids, and so on - it will depend on your imagination.

After finishing my short course, I attend Ikebana once in a year expo. In this event, I learn many things about Ikebana. Ikebana is a philosophy of combining natural element to create beauty. As result, ones can utilize any flowers any plants available in their surroundings, any kind of vases, and any type of style - free your mind to pop your creativity out. Even dry leaves can be used. It has its own aura of natural beauty. Secondly, everyone - regardless their age, gender, and occupation, can explore their own creativity by doing Ikebana. The challenge is can ones notice the beauty of the nature and present it in a vase.

Ikebana is the art of capturing the beauty of the nature and present it in a vase.