Ikebana (Japanese Flower Arrangement)

Ikebana, the Japanese word for the art of flower arrangement, comes from two Japanese words, IKE, meaning pond and HANA, meaning flower, the pond flower. Thus, Ikebana is the art of arranging flowers in water. Ikebana emphasizes most on measurement, the scale of floral arrangement. The main aim of Ikebana is to bring nature indoors and make it live in the floral arrangement that is being made.

Originally, the first school of ikebana was divided into three styles.

• The Shin - The formal style involved an erect linear arrangement in a bronze container, arranged on a carved teakwood stand.
• The Gyo, or semi-formal school - The school features flowing, sweeping lines and the use of a variety of containers.
• The So, or informal school - The school displayed flowers in bamboo vases, baskets, and natural wood containers as well as in pottery. The flowers are seated on bases of bamboo or natural wood.