Hello all,

So much has been happening, ikebana-wise that I've not been able to keep the blog up to date. As a consequence, some of the entries are of events that happened some time ago. The photographs below are of two views of an exhibit by Iemoto Akane Teshigahara, which was at the entrance of Takashimaia Department Store. It was a beautiful installation with spring flowering branches and bamboo, which later became the backdrop for a fashion parade. I was pleasantly surprised when I was permitted to photograph the lovely models.

On the 31st March I attended the International Class run by Mesei Ishikawa San. The theme was 'Freestyle Arrangement'. Ishikawa San demonstrated two arrangements - the first 'Emphasizing Straight lines', using bull rushes and delphiniums and the second 'Emphasizing Curved Lines', using spiraea and calla lilies. 

As for my arrangement, I used a container that I have coveted for a long time now - a nageire which  has been split half way down and twisted slightly. I used four large aspidistra leaves and one gorgeous phalenopsys orchid. In her critique, Ishikawa San used a Japanese term which, unfortunately, defies translation. The word she used is 'sasuga', which is a complementary term but the specifics of it I can't express in English. She added that 'container, leaves and orchid harmonized perfectly'.

Front and back views of same arrangement

For visitors such as myself, the International class provides a venue to meet other visiting students who also speak English. One such student is Suzanne Sendelbach from the US, with whom I enjoyed chatting. I have included her arrangement, firstly because it's interesting and secondly because of the technique for bending the bull rushes. She was shown by sensei to wire the bull rushes so that she could then bend them and they would stay. I had not seen this before and I thought it worth mentioning.

As a follow up on my post about spring, this is the view of the palace gardens from the window of the class room at Headquarters. Note the cherry blossom trees in between all that greenery. I'm making a point to work near the window to enjoy this vista.

The photos below are of a beautiful little park in Akasaka opposite New Otani Hotel. You will notice that the ground and the water in the pond are covered with petals. I wish I was a better photographer to do justice to the scenery. 

 I had asked a lady, who was also taking photos of the gardens to take one of me under the cherry blossoms. In my very broken Japanese we had a small communication. We discovered we have something in common - ikebana. She belongs to the Ikenobo School.

Sayonara, once again,

Emily