The Art of Ikebana: The cultural significance and symbolism of Japanese flowers

Flowers have traditionally played an important role in Japanese festival festivities, tea ceremonies, mourning rituals, and all forms of art, from literature and paintings to music and fashion.

While Japanese flowers are admired for their beauty and elegance, they also have rich symbolic implications that may be traced back millennia via Japan's Buddhist tradition. Offering flowers to Buddha was an early form of ikebana. Offering flowers is a symbol of respect in many religions. Touching a flower reminds us that we, as humans, are part of nature. And who, in this or any other age, wouldn't wish to discover beauty in unlikely ways?

What is Ikebana?

Ikebana is Japanese for "living flowers." The Japanese art of flower arrangement has been regarded as being more nuanced, sensitive, and complex than the ways of flower arranging often used in other countries. This is because Ikebana is an art form in Japan in the same way that painting and sculpture are.

Where Does Ikebana Come From?

Simple flower arrangements were developed as early as the 7th century when Buddhism was introduced to Japan from China. It was customary to arrange flowers before pictures of the Buddha, and these floral gifts became rather complex over time.

It was the typical practice throughout the Heian period (8th to 12th century) to send poems tied to a blossoming branch as a sign of appreciation and passion.

With the rise of the samurai class in the 14th century, feudal lords gained height and status, and they want to show off their money and strength. The original tokonoma, or alcoves, were probably erected to show suits of armour in their mansions and palaces, but once the nation was united and quiet times arrived, art artefacts, including flower arrangements, began to be displayed.

Ikebana Arrangements & Styles

Rikka: Early Buddhist flower decorations were designed to represent the imagined beauty of heaven, and as a result, they were extravagant and opulent. The same characteristics were kept in Rikka, the original Ikebana style, which attempted to use flowers to symbolise an exalted notion of the cosmos rather than to highlight the beauty of flowers.

Rikka's structural guidelines, known as placements, regulate the style's basic composition. Buddhist monks created the nine essential positions by incorporating Buddhist teachings into their floral arrangements.

Ikebana is a kind of visual art that employs a wide range of plant materials. Depending on the materials, creative judgement is required to reshape the set shapes. The nine places must be honoured in the Rikka style; nevertheless, doing so with the understanding that there is an opportunity for personal expression within this structure is the secret of Rikka.

Shin: spiritual mountain; Uke: receiving; Hikae: waiting; Sho shin: waterfall; Soe: supporting branch; Nagashi: stream; Mikoshi: overlook; Do: body and Mae Oki: front body

Seika: In contrast to the formality of Rikka's rigid Ikebana standards, other more free-form flower arrangements were known as Nageire, which means "thrown in." The Nageire arrangement was distinguished by the fact that the flowers were not forced to stand upright in the vase, but were instead allowed to rest organically in it.

It is not by chance that the Rikka style is associated with more traditional forms of Buddhism, whereas the Nageire style is associated with Zen because Rikka arrangements arose from a philosophical attempt to conceive of an organised universe, whereas Nageire arrangements represent an attempt to achieve the immediate oneness with the universe.

The interaction between Rikka and Nageire at the end of the eighteenth century gave rise to a new form of flower arrangement known as Seika, which means "fresh-living flowers."

Three of the original positions were kept in the Seika style: shin, soe, and uke (now known as taisaki), forming an uneven triangle.

The active space within the arrangement and the frame of the tokonoma are crucially significant in a Seika arrangement placed in the tokonoma alcove.

Historically, Seika arrangements were made of a single material, except for more opulent arrangements used for New Year's celebrations. The norm has been eased in recent years, and configurations of one, two, or three elements are widespread. 

Moribana: The tokonoma alcove, where Ikebana was customarily displayed, was considered a holy spot until recently, but it is no longer incorporated in modern, Western-influenced Japanese architecture. Ikebana must be observed from all sides, 360 degrees, in today's open environments. This is a radical departure from previous approaches to Ikebana. Seika must be in a tokonoma and viewed while sitting on the floor in front of the arrangement to be enjoyed. The Moribana (piling up) category of Ikebana emerged as a means to employ natural plants to produce a more three-dimensional sculptural aspect. 

Contemporary Ikebana: Classic flower arrangements, such as Rikka and Seika, retain their core concept and elegance, but new preferences have led to the usage of materials not previously employed in Ikebana. In this case, maybe the artist was inspired to make this exquisite arrangement by the distinctive flower container with its three thin, painted lines. This arrangement may be called a modern artwork if plant materials were not included.

What does it teach?

Ikebana represents the beauty of all-natural world components functioning in harmony. Ikebana practitioners can utilise twigs, moss, stones, and even fruit in addition to flowers and plants.

Duality is also an important aspect of ikebana. That is, typical compositions are concerned with the relationships, balance, and tensions between opposing forces such as life and death, full and empty space, and luxury and simplicity.

The Principles of Ikebana

1. Minimalism – “Less is more” is a common theme in ikebana. The goal is to evoke strong emotions with few elements. Adding more doesn’t necessarily make an arrangement better.
2. Asymmetry – Asymmetry is an important component in ikebana. Nature is never perfectly symmetrical. Arrangements that tactically use asymmetry can create interest with the clever use of negative space.
3. Harmony – Yin-yang principles in design do not necessarily mean symmetry but rather the balance between the different flowers and elements in a composition.
4. Wabi-sabi – Wabi-sabi refers to emotional responses to art or nature. Wabi is associated with melancholy, nostalgia, desolation, and loneliness. Wabi can invoke feelings of compassion and sadness. Sabi is associated with humility, ruggedness, durability, timelessness, and restraint.
5. Ephemeral – Transitory nature of reality. Ikebana arrangements by their very nature are not meant to be permanent but last for a certain period. This component is powerful in evoking strong feelings.
6. Spatial dimensions – The lines of the composition capture and guide the attention of the viewer. Positive and negative spaces can be carefully manipulated to create aesthetically pleasing elements.
7. Color – Colors are carefully selected in ikebana to create a unified arrangement. Colour influences perception in ikebana as it does in any visual art form. Floral displays can emphasize a single colour or use contrasting colours for an element of drama.

Ikebana artworks serve as a reminder that, like all living arts, evolve and are inspired by the culture and the times. What makes ikebana so poignant and effective at this moment is its direct and personal connection to nature, as well as its awareness of and emphasis on decay in an era when our own ecological and environmental disaster feels more vivid than ever.

Cherry blossom in bloom will be gone shortly. But for the time being, it is ours — and who among us can turn away from it?