Ikebana

Ikebana has become very popular recently. It is the art of flower arrangement in Japanese culture. This art of flowers is famous all over the world and is used not only to decorate houses and patios but also are the presents for other people.

The base of the art of ikebana is simplicity.

First ikebana appeared in Japan in the 15th century and had the religious purposes. Ikebana was the best present for the gods of Japan. The traditional and natural beauty should always be present in ikebana, because it is their base and purpose. Ikebana wants to show the beauty of nature and god that creates this nature.

Usually ikebana consists of flowers, some additional material as stones, collars, and vases. Very often artists also add water to it. As water in Japanese culture means the way to become clean and clear.

But nowadays it is widely used in design of apartments. It is usual to see a vase with flowers in the room of people.

The arrangement of flowers may be different and various. It may contain a lot of different flowers and accessories, and the art of ikebana is in its development. It is very modern and fashionable nowadays. Artists try to use more and more traditional material but still conserve the main principle of ikebana – simplicity. There are also a lot of amateurs that decorate ikebana in their own way adding some spices to it.

There are a lot of schools that have their own specialities of this art and with the help of ikebana express their own trends and intentions. There are a lot of people who study this art, because it teaches not only to decorate your surrounding, but also to be patient and to feel the beauty and tenderness of flowers, it also teaches us to respect nature and its creations.

Nature and flowers play an important role in philosophy of Japan. Sometimes Japanese people believe that with the help of flowers and nature a person is able to understand the essence of the world, so ikebana was especially important in the culture of Japan.

There are even several rules that should be followed while making ikebana. First of all elements of ikebana should be asymmetric and form a triangle. And this triangle should be neither vertical nor horizontal.

Proportions of all principal elements of ikebana should correspond to the sizes of a vase. And while choosing a vase it is necessary to consider whether this vase is going to hold all flowers necessary for arrangement and the sizes of flowers.

Vase plays an important role in ikebana. It should correspond to parameters of the plants used in ikebana. It is better if it is made in one colour or transparent.

Every artist of ikebana expresses his/her own view on how it should be made and also depends from the school and its trends. But it is the best way to use your creativeness.

It doesn't require a lot of money. The only thing you need is a vase and flowers. And of course a desire and talent are also important.