IKEBANA, Japanese style flower arrangement (English Version) 〜生け花〜 Japan Vlog

Scissors for ikana. This is kenan. Which side is more beautiful to be arranged in a vase? Welcome to Taju's Kitchen. Today I'm going to show you iikana. Like in the previous video, I'm also joined with Chino since she was child. She has been trained in iikabana and she's also a teacher for ikabana. She's going to show us today how to arrange the flowers in Japanese style ikabana. >> Japanese style of flower arrangement iikabana originate from the idea of yorishiro which was developed since the Jon era in which we used evergreen branches as medium to serve as a temporary dwelling place for deities [music] when they descend into the human world. Even in current Japanese culture, [music] we decorate the house in New Year's with the kadomatsu which we welcome the gods with pine tree. And as the Buddhism came to Japan in 538 [music] AD, the custom of placing flowers before an altar or Buddha statue was [music] also introduced. As these two cultures merged together during Muramachi era and out of that arose the art of Iikbana and during [music] Ido era, different styles or schools of ikibbana have formed with these backgrounds. The art of Ekibbana holds a long history of its [music] development as a culture in Japan. Now I'm going to show you the basics of how to arrange flowers in Ekibana style. So we are going to look around and search for what kind of branch or flower we want. For example, this is Ashibi. When there's a tree, we look which branch will be suitable for the arrangement today. Seeing which leaves look good and so on. Then let's take this branch. And when we do cut off a branch, we treat the plants [music] not as some kind of objects but as living things. So it is important that we cut them with humility and gratitude for taking [music] a life from the plant. And if there are some branches that are not necessary, then we can cut them off as well. Maybe one more branch that's a bit bigger. We took these two branches. >> This is how we collect flowers or branches for ikana. >> How we greet each other in the beginning is also very important in [music] iikana as in the art form of do in Japan. First, the scissors we use look like this. [music] These are Japanese style scissors specifically forged for ikibana. To hold these scissors, right, you hold with the pointer finger in the [music] loop and the pinky stays outside the loop. You hold them like this. That's how you cut the flowers. Then this is called suiban where you arrange the flowers. [music] And this is called kenzan, a tool to hold the flowers in place, allowing precise arrangements. It's very sharp, so please be careful not to poke yourself. Kenzan [music] is one of so-called hanadome and there are also different shapes and styles. The basic kenzan is circular shaped like this but it can have different shapes, squares [music] etc. In order to place the flowers for iikana, first we have so-called tai as the biggest structure. It can be flower or a branch. Then we have so-called [music] u which has the function of supporting tai and adds balance. And lastly we have soul which harmonizes the whole structure. The main purpose of iikibana is to use [music] the flowers and branches to make a representation of the nature in this small bowl. >> So it's similar to the idea of kadesi or the Japanese gardens of representing nature in small scale. >> That is exactly right. Tai should be the largest element. We look for the best angle and side of the plant. This side or this side? Do we need [music] all these leaves? >> There's the idea of heote and he ura. Each branch has the side that faced [music] the sun as it grew. He omote and the back side that did not face the sun. He we want to face the heote sunny side towards the front as if we the viewers are the sun. So if I were the sun it would be strange to have the back side facing towards the front. >> How do we tell the difference he >> this is the front side kote so it has more leaves and this side kura has less leaves. So you can tell by the amount of leaves and depending on the plants or flowers the darkness of the leaves. So, can you tell which side looks more beautiful for this branch? >> For me, I think this looks good facing this way. >> Yes, that's exactly right. So, each branch or flower has its beautiful side. Looking at this branch from its direction, we can see that it looks beautiful from this side. It's also a training to look at the branch flower to see which side is more beautiful to be arranged in a vase or bowl. Since we have cut the plant, the very least we could do [music] is to arrange it beautifully. >> How this was grown outside is this direction. I think so. It would be a bit strange if the branch were to be arranged in this direction. Basically, all plants grow upward. So, we need to recreate that here, right? That's exactly what it means to recreate nature in a bowl or vase. If you have leaves in or touching the water, it will go bad easily. So, in that case, [music] we need to cut them off. And also, thick and hard branches like this may be difficult to arrange in kenzan. [music] In that case, we need to make an extra cut in a cross. If you make that cross cut, then it will be easier to be stuck into the kenzan [music] for stable and precise arrangement. Now, as the next thing, let's arrange the U. When the tie is here, the U should come around here to support the tie. [music] What do you think? Is that too many leaves? >> Yeah, I think it's a bit too much. >> Then let's cut off some of the leaves. Which should we keep? >> This bottom here, I think. >> Please be careful. >> Is that okay? Like this? >> Yes. Then let's arrange the sole. By the way, it is important to know also [music] there is a technique called mizukiri where you cut the stem branch under the water so the plant sucks up water better. Then there is no layer of air stuck inside [music] the stem or branch of the plant. For so the main flower should be pretty big and for that we have rendo Japanese gent or kiku chrysanthemum. Which would you use? >> I'll take reno. >> Okay then rendo it is. We also have two of them. You can of course use both of them. So the height of sole it should be shorter than tie but taller than you. >> I think that feels more strong. So I'll take that. >> Okay, we'll use that. And when [music] you cut it, do it under the water. Oh, that looks good. It's also possible that we use the other window to arrange [music] in the front like this or use the rest of the other window. We also have Kiku chrysanthemum or these varimokco great burn. We want to use other flowers in the front so that kenzen is not to be seen. Now the rest you can arrange however you want. Seeing from how you arrange you have a very good sense of iikana. [music] So then let's show the audience how you arrange the flowers by yourself today. Yes. >> Now I'm going to touch up but just a little bit to refine what you arranged. Can we face this towards us now? You arranged almost without hesitation. >> Oh no. I hesitated a lot and had hard time deciding. >> You went on cutting right away. I was very impressed. Today I didn't ask you. It is also possible to consider with what mood or atmosphere you want to arrange the flowers or if you have to arrange with some given flowers or branches. You can imagine what kind of world you want to create. That's also fun to do. It really brings out the personality of who is arranging. Today I'm trying to show you only the basic of ikibana. This is also very simple and well done, but I am going to adjust a little bit. As for tie, you actually did a good arranging, but here would be a bit too centered. It should be a bit more to the side. Also, it has too many leaves. For tie, we can even cut it here. With this cut, you can clearly see that this is Thai. It's also very important where the branch will be placed. As I have just shown you the tokonoma, the sunlight comes always from the window side, the left side. So we arrange the flower. So the left side is the heote sunny side. And this [music] yo is also pretty okay. But if it came a little bit more forward, then it supports Thai visually more. It also has too many leaves, so I cut some off. This will also [music] give the height difference. It is more appealing to the eyes when there is some difference in height. You are using the space very well, >> but we can have much less leaves since we can fill it later. With that, we have the base structure. You don't necessarily have to arrange in the form exactly found in nature. And with that, tie and sew are in place. And the rest is filling in the space. Kenzon should not be seen. So, we'll cover using these leaves and branches. For this, I think it's better to use these shorter then it won't be too overpowering. It's also important in Ebana that the arrangement is not too messy and to keep it simple. In western flower arrangement, the base is usually all covered up. In Eikabbana, we arrange so that Kenzen is not to be seen from outside. [music] But at the same time, we also don't want to hide or cover the whole water because if we do, we won't be able to show the beauty of the bowl or vase. Like this, we fill in the spaces. With this we have the main standing parts and the warim moco or the great bernet [music] gives us the feeling of breeze through the arrangement. I think it's better when they're shorter. We want to [music] make use of the space. And since it is not yet full in autumn season, [music] we don't want to show the wabi just yet. And so we can and want to show a bit more glamour or splendor in the arrangement, especially since we are still half in the summer atmosphere. But with the color of war moco, it gives a little more of autumn feeling. Can you see that this made smooth flow? Originally, it was a bit bushy here. If you want to make a clear, strong flow of flowers, you can cut the branches shorter. But considering the season, not summer anymore, but not yet full autumn, it is not necessary to cut too much since we are only at the beginning of autumn. So, I think I am finished here. Hi, Japanese culture and art are all about being less or about subtraction. Today, we arrange these flowers and branches as eekana on a bowl like this. I also want to show you what happens when we subtract and take away the different components of this ekbana. [music] I'm going to take away the tie first. This works as well, right? This is also beautiful in this way. I'm going [music] to keep taking away the other parts. I just took away Warimokco [music] great burn it. This is also beautiful as well. Right now I take away Kiku for Sananthemum. It's simple yet elegant and beautiful. Now I'm going to take away the soul. This has now calming and serene atmosphere. It's more subdued and refined. This [music] is also beautiful as it is. And even if we take away more and more, we can still create the world of Ebana. subtracting and subtracting. >> This can still work too. >> We can enjoy how the beauty changes as we take away different components of one ikebana. Even without flowers, if the flow of the branch is beautiful enough, we can express beauty only with branches. There is some ikabana [music] without flowers even like this would still work as eekana. That's what I mean. With this basin, this [music] will not work. But if we had a small rather old-looking basin or a vase, we can just have this branch as eekana. depending on what kind of world or atmosphere you want to present. Ekbana helps to develop a refined way of looking at things. That's one of the most [music] important aspects in ikabana. In western flower arrangement, if you take away even one flower out of the floral foam, then it looks strange and incomplete. In Japanese [music] ikabana, on the contrary, the arrangement still works even if we take away some or most flowers. That's what I think is a very profound aspect of ikabana as an art form. I also wanted to show you this last part. This is something that does not exist in other cultures. Thank you so much for watching. See you in the next video. I was.