The third exhibition of Flower Japan, a project to promote a richer lifestyle through ikebana was held at the Hillside Forum in Daikanyama from Nov. 17 to 19. The theme of the exhibition was "Books and Flowers."
The expansive gallery space with large glass windows facing the street was filled with a collection of vibrant and colorful ikebana works. Visitors were curious to see what the exhibitors were looking to express through their arrangements.
Ikebana masters did not create the arrangements, rather they were made by business leaders such as Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Chairman & CEO Kunio Yamada and other company CEOs, heads of educational institutions and other professionals from various fields.
Books that were chosen by the exhibitors as their sources of inspiration were also displayed to give people a deeper appreciation of the arrangements.
One of the exhibitors was Yoshitaka Taguchi, the president of transportation services company, Seino Holdings Co., Ltd., whose work was inspired by "Jōgan Seiyō," an eighth-century Confucian text on the art of politics.
He commented during a discussion that was held on the first day of the exhibition, that the harmony and balance of the whole is important in both business and ikebana.
Ikebana artist Yuka Ōkubo, the daughter of Eikou Sumura, a well-known ikebana artist, explained that ikebana was originally practiced only by men, especially those in upper and samurai classes, until the later part of the Edo Period. It eventually became a part of domestic training for brides. Today it is a hobby that is mostly popular among women.
She hopes that the exhibition will continue to open up the world of ikebana and show how ikebana can now be enjoyed by anyone to enrich their lives.