Ikebana (Japanese: 生花, literally "living flowers") is the Japanese art of flower arrangement, also known as kadō (華道 or 花道)—the "way of flowers".

In contrast to the decorative form of flower arranging in western countries, the Japanese flower arrangement creates a harmony of linear construction, rhythm, and color. While westerners tend to emphasize the quantity and colors of the flowers, devoting their attention mainly to the beauty of the blossoms, the Japanese emphasize the linear aspects of the arrangement. They have developed the art to include the vase, stems, leaves, and branches, as well as the flowers. The entire structure of a Japanese flower arrangement is based on three main points that symbolize heaven, earth, and humankind.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikebana

Types of Ikebana

Heika



Heika (also called rikka, shoka, or seika) is a basic style of ikebana arrangement that uses a tall vase and highlights vertical lines. The biggest feature is the emphasis on bringing out the flowers' natural charms and arranging them in a tasteful and elegant manner.

Vases with a narrow opening or tall, jar-shaped containers are used, with the stems being bundled tightly together at the mouth. Crosspieces are used to fasten the stems to the vase.

Heika arrangements consist of three main elements--the primary, secondary, and ornamental stems; their lengths, positions, and angles differ depending on the type of heika style used. In the slanting style, one of the most popular heika arrangements, the length of the primary stem is one and a half times the height of the vase, and the secondary and ornamental stems are around half the length of the primary branch.

The primary stem is tilted forward around 70 degrees and scattered across a 45-degree area to the front and left. The secondary stem is placed behind and to the left of the primary one to give depth. The ornamental stem is arranged so that it slants forward at a 60-degree angle across a 30-degree area to the right of the primary and secondary elements.

http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/ikebana/type-heika.html

Heika

Moribana



Moribana uses a shallow container and a kenzan, a holder with many sharp points into which flowers are inserted. The big feature of moribana is the broad expanse of natural-looking shapes and a mound of beautiful flowers.

While the heika style was developed many centuries ago and has a lot of rules, moribana is only about a hundred years old and is not as fussy. Western flowers can be used, for instance, and the arranged flowers may be placed in Western-style rooms and entranceways--not just in the tokonoma, the alcove of traditional Japanese-style rooms.

There are different types of moribana depending on the length and angle of the primary, secondary, and ornamental stems. The upright style is the most common; it exudes a feeling of stability and gravity. In this style, the primary stem is about as long as the diameter and depth of the container combined, with the secondary stem being around two-thirds and and the ornamental stem about half the length of the primary branch.

The primary stem is placed vertically, while the secondary stem is tilted 45 degrees and scattered over a 30-degree area to the front and left. The ornamental stem is tilted 60 degrees and placed across a 45-degree area to the front and right. Seen from above, the three stems form a right triangle. Flowers are placed inside this triangle to fill out the shape.


http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/ikebana/type-moribana.html

Moribana

quote:

Originally posted by dear yoko:
...The biggest feature is the emphasis on bringing out the flowers' natural charms and arranging them in a tasteful and elegant manner...

You certainly have FLOWERED here elegantly dear Yoko!

These images are truly beautiful! Thank you ever so for sharing this beauty!

Love and light being, Teo Do (Re, Mi, Fa, So, LaaaAAA!!!)

Dear yoko,

Thank you for this very beautiful post and the wonderful flower arrangements.

Now that summer is here with all the miriad of flowers we can all benefit from your post.

I love your images Teo

Love, Inda

Thank you yoko.
This is such a nice post for me to think about while I am flying to England. We have many flowers in England and I will try some arrangements.

Love,
Sue

Thank you yoko for this very informative and beautiful post. I will be on holidays also and maybe I will have some time to practice some flower arrangements. We have many flowers here as well at the moment.

Love
Vicky

Thank you Yoko. I have always loved Japanese flower arrangements, but never really knew anything about them. Maybe, with your inspiration, I will try some this summer.

I am happy that you like the flower arrangements.
Now that the summer is here, try some. It only takes a few flowers to create a thing of beauty.

Love,
yoko

Thank you for this beautiful post yoko. Somehow I missed it. I am glad that I scanned down the page on the Givnology topics.

This is a wonderful time of the year here when everywhere one sees flowers blooming, making it a good time for floral arrangements.

Sincerely,
Gisele