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Ikenobo Ikebana 550th Anniversary Celebration, Tokyo, Japan

3, 5 & 6 June 2012


Ikenobo Ikebana celebrated 550 years of recorded history.  The highlight of events throughout Japan for the year included exhibits and demonstration in Tokyo.  The arrangements in the exhibit were changed out every two days and we were able to catch the second and third rounds in addition to attending the demonstration.  I've reorganized photos from the exhibitions into a sequence that follows the development of Ikenobo Ikebana over the years.


Window display at Takashimaya

Store entrance

Store entrance

Ikenobo display by main entrance

The only sgn in English!

Going up...

Thank you for using the elevator...

Seen while waiting in line...

At the exhibit entrance

Arrangement by the  presumed 47th headmaster to be...

Arrangement of white flowers by Yuki Ikenobo, Headmaster Designate

Arrangement of white flowers by Yuki Ikenobo

White rose

Lily of the valley

Self-explanatory...

Installation by the 45th headmaster, Senei Ikenobo

Installation by the 45th headmaster, Senei Ikenobo

Installation by the 45th headmaster, Senei Ikenobo


Prince Regent Shotoku, a strong proponent of the recently imported Buddhism, sent Ono-no-Imoko as the second emissary to China in the year 607.  While in China he was exposed to the practice of arranging flowers as offerings to Buddha, and continued this tradition using plants growing naturally in and around the pond.  Hundreds of years later, in the Ashikaga Bakufu (miliary rule) period (1336–1573), also known as the Muromachi Period, the civil wars began to settle down and the arts began to flourish. Flower arranging evolved under Ikenobo Senkei into something for enjoyment, paralleling the development of the Way of Tea (Chado) and the Way of Incense (Kodo). Floral Art, known as Kado, the Way of Flowers, included lessons on techniques and appropriate mental attitude, establishing Ikenobo as the original school of Ikebana.  The original arrangements, called Tatebana, literally "standing flowers", consisted of a tree branch called shin, supplemented by a grass material known as soekusa, or added grass.  Members of the Imperial Court and wealthy members of society began to display ikebana made to complement the scene on the hanging scroll in the tokonoma, a special corner of the sitting room.  The oldest surviving record of this is the Hekizan'nichiroku of 1462 which records a class of emulating an arrangement.  Tatebana was often displayed on the left wih an incensor in the middle and, on the right, a candleholder in the shape of a crane standing on a tortoise.  By 1530 the name had changed to Rikka and the rules included seven main branches known as shin, soeuke, soe, mikoshi, shinkakushi, nagashi and maeoki


Example of early Tatebana

Example of early Tatebana

Early rikka

Early rikka

Early rikka

Early rikka

Early rikka

Early rikka

Early rikka

Early rikka

Early rikka

Early rikka

Typical view of the biggest arrangement in the exhibit 

The complete Sunamono, with ceiling filled in...

The complete Sunamono

Rikka

Rikka

Suna no mono (aka Sunamono)

Detail of base of Suna no mono (aka Sunamono) arrangement 

In the Azuchi-Momoyama (1568-1603) to early Edo Periods Rikka and its wider variant, Suna no Mono (aka Sunamono, literally "sand thing", a low, wide rikka with a base normally covered in white gravel to resemble sand) were practiced by the warrior class, adorning the tokonoma in their smaller sitting rooms.  In an extreme example of this period, the exhibition featured a large sunamono that recalled the "Maeda Mansion Daisunamono" of 1594 which was a more than 21 foot wide arrangement the 31st headmaster of Ikenobo had created to adorn the large sitting room in the Mansion of the Maeda Clan.  Behind this arrangement hung four scrolls painted with 20 monkeys cavorting.  The room-sized replica had 28 names listed as arranging the divided sunamono for the exhibition.  A lighter version of arranging known as Nageire, literally "thrown in", developed, leading to the development of Chabana or a simple more natural arrangement to accompany the Tea Ceremony.  The 32nd headmaster, Senko the 2nd, further developed the rikka style, several of which are highlighted on a commemorative set of stamps showing historical arrangements, several of which were also emulated for the exhibit.


Rikka, following the ideal form shown

Double shin rikka, from Kanei period (1624-1630) 

Rikka ishuike - all pine from Azuchi Momoyama-early Edo period 

Gyodoike (fish path) - divided Shoka style

Gyodoike (fish path) - divided Shoka style

Wrinkled leaf in Gyodoike

Showing how it's arranged using komiwara

Nageire

Nageire

Nageire and scroll

Nageire

Detail of scroll

Edo period Nageire

Edo period Nageire

Edo period Nageire

Edo period Nageire

Edo period Nageire

Rikka from the Genroku period (1688-1704)

Divided Suna no mono (aka sunamono) Rikka

In the middle part of the Edo Period (1603-1868) the Rikka form developed a refined elegance and the rules for Shoka were solidified and Ikenobo's reputation increased.  By early the 1800s Japanese culture centered around life in Edo, where flower stores provided easy access to seasonal flowers and the affluent town folk began to decorate their Tokonoma with Shoka.  In 1820 a scroll appeared showing 100 standard variations of the Shoka form.  Blown up portions of this scroll decorated the back wall of part of the exhibition highlighting this form.  By the late Edo period Ikenobo ikebana was spreading to all parts of Japan with instruction in Rikka and Shoka.  Women began taking up the study of ikebana, which had been a male dominated practice until this time.  In Kyoto alone there were 2000 Flower Associations for the study of ikebana.



Shoka Ishuike

Shoka Ishuike

Shoka Irifune (Incoming boat)

Shoka Ishuike

Shoka Kakeike (wall-hanging)

Shoka Ishuike

Shoka Gyodoike (divided water materials)

Shoka Tsuki (hanging moon)

Shoka Ishuike

Shoka Kakeike (wall-hanging)

Rikka of the Bunka-Bunsei period (1804-1829)

Rikka of the Bunka-Bunsei period (1804-1829)

The restoration of the Emperor and the Westernization of life in Japan caused great upheaval in ideas, life and culture in Meiji Era (1868-1912) Japan.  Ikenobo formalized the basic rules for Shoka Shofutai to have 3 elements known as Shin, Soe and Tai.  In 1897 Ikenobo began teaching Shoka Shofutai to women at the Kyoto Prefectural Women's College.  Until this time the opportunity had only been afforded to men, but this led to the popularization of learning ikebana as a refinement for women.  Meanwhile the rules for the use of tree materials increased, adding lots of detailed condition on the ideal ways to arrange them.  In contrast, the new freedom of thought and the response to a more natural view of the beauty of plant materials led to a desire for more freedom in ikebana.  By early Showa Period (1925-1989) Ikenobo had adapted the rules for Rikka and Shoka into Nageire and Moribana, known collectively as Ouyoubana or Adaptation Flowers. 


Meiji era Shoka Shofutai Ishuike

Meiji era Shoka Shofutai Nijuike

Meiji era Shoka Shofutai

Meiji era Shoka Shofutai Ishuike

Meiji era Shoka Shofutai

Meiji era Shoka Shofutai

Meiji era style Rikka

Early Showa Nageire

Early Showa Nageire

Early Showa Nageire

Early Showa Nageire

Ikebana continues to evolve with the changing lifestyles of today.  Many Japanese no longer have a Tokonoma in which to display a large arrangement, so they are often smaller and can be displayed more easily in the modern home.  Jiyuka, or modern free style developed after World War II.  In addition, the current headmaster has introduced several new styles (Shoka Shimputai in 1977 and Rikka Shimputai in 1999) blending traditional techniques with modern sense of beauty.  In addition, Ikenobo is spreading thoughout the world with 14 countries represented in the exhibition.


Rikka Shimputai

Clematis

Rikka Shimputai

Shoka Shimputai

Shoka Shimputai

Divided Shoka

Divided Rikka Shimputai

Rikka Shimputai

Jiyuka

Shoka Shimputai

Shoka Shimputai

Shoka Shimputai

Jiyuka

Rikka Shimputai

Rikka Shimputai

Orchid

Shoka Shimputai

Shoka Shimputai

Divided Shoka

Divided Shoka

Rikka Shimputai

Rikka Shimputai

Divided Rikka Shimputai

Detail...

Shoka Shimputai

Shoka Shimputai

Shoka Shimputai

Hanging Jiyuka (free style)

Jiyuka (free style)

Suiriku Ike (Divided Shoka of land and water plants)

Jiyuka (free style) [another use for brocolli and carrots!]

Jiyuka (free style)[with asparaus tips and peppers!]

Miniature in an eggshell

Miniature

Miniature

Wall hanging

Miniature

Miniature

Wall hanging

Miniature

Miniature

Folding screen

Miniature

Wall hanging

Miniature

Miniature

Wall hanging

Miniature

Miniature

Miniature

Wall hanging

Miniature

Jiyuka (free style) representing Austriain wines

Jiyuka representing the green trees of Paro, Bhutan

Jiyuka (free style) representing the Blue Mosque

Sunamono representing the breezy islands of the Bahamas

Rikka Shimputai representing Moldova

Rikka Shimputai representing New York &the Statue of Liberty

Rikka Shimputai representing the heart of Russia

Rikka Shimputai representing Germany

Suirikuike Shoka representing Hong Kong University

Shoka Shimputai representing Canada

Shoka Shimputai representing spring in Ontario, Canada

Shoka Shofutai representing the beauty of Mt Rainier 

Shoka Shofutai Isshuike representing historic  boats in Switzerland

Divided Rikka Shimputai representing the Golden Gate Bridge 

Rikka Shimputai representing summer in Alaska

Rikka Shimputai representing Buckingham Palace in the U.K.

Going down...

Kikuchi-sensei from Misawa City


On 6 June, Ikenobo held 2 demonstrations in a large auditorium.  We attended the afternoon session in which members of the Ikenobo family and assistants created seasonal arrangements using lotus.  The image in the background is of the present Rokkakudo Temple. 


Arrangement for spring

Arrangement for spring

Arrangement for summer 

Arrangement for summer

Arrangement for summer

Arrangement for summer

Arrangement for summer

Arrangement for summer

Arrangement for autumn (Yuki Ikenobo)

Arrangement for autumn

Arrangement for autumn

Arrangement for autumn

Arrangement for autumn

Arrangement for autumn

Arrangement for autumn

Arrangement for autumn

Arrangement for autumn

Moving on to winter...

45th headmster, Senei Ikenobo with arrangement for winter

The seasons come together in the future of Ikenobo...

Time for a bow...

Time for a bow...

Time for a bow...

Time for a bow...

Time for a bow...

Most of the family...


JAlbum 7.0