Ikenobo exhibition at EKO-House of Japanese Culture in Dusseldorf, Germany on 18-19 June 2011.

Dusseldorf ,which has a substantial number of Japanese expats, is not far from the Dutch-German border. 150 years of friendship between Germany and Japan is celebrated in 2011 and Ikenobo Chapter Nederland was honoured to be among the guests of EKO House. We were pleasantly surprised by the magnificent buildings and gardens and the quality of the arrangements.

After an opening ceremony with speeches by several officials, Headmaster Sen’ei Ikenobo gave a splendid and humorous demonstration, followed by professor Manabu Noda , who some of us were very pleased to see again! Finally a Shoka demonstration was given by the Ikenobo teacher attached to Eko-House, Kinoyu Watanabe.

It was a wonderful and inspiring day. We felt privileged to be present at these celebrations, all in beautiful Japanese surroundings. Thank you very much German Ikenobo Chapter and thank you EKO-House.

EKO-House, view from the garden: Temple and Bell tower

Stairs towards Temple

Miscanthus sinensis and rock

Demonstration by Headmaster Sen’ ei Ikenobo

One of the busy exhibition halls in the main building

Rembrandtesque and breathtaking : Rikka shimputai by Headmaster Sen’ ei Ikenobo…

Trip to Japan

Edited 8 May 2011!

Our trip to Japan

Despite the catastrophe that had hit Northern Japan in March, most of the people of 'Ikenobo Chapter Nederland' thought we would best support the Japanese people by sticking to our initial plan.

We gathered that life in Kyoto, even with the spring exhibition at Ikenobo Headquarters cancelled, would continue almost as normal. So, we went and we have never regretted our decision.

The weather was beautiful, the cherry blossom at its best and Kyoto, with less foreign visitors than usual, dignified and splendid. The workshop was exellent and professor Noda's guidance well appreciated. We enjoyed his very clear instructions and his 'down to earth' comments, but we also liked the results of our efforts. Most importantly, we learned a lot! Last but certainly not least, we all spent quite a lot of money at the Ikenobo shop and purchased (among others) some bronze vases whih were sent off by air- or sea mail.

Professor Noda explaining Shoka-Shofutai Ishu-ike with Japanese Iris

The workshop in progress

Shoka Shofutai with Kakitsubata

Rika Shofutai with Gedan Ozukai (Mae-oki and Nagashi)

Shoka Shofutai Nishu-ike

Freestyle (Jiyuka): Holland greets Japan

We had a very pleasant meeting with Yuki Ikenobo and a few days later we met Senei Ikenobo himself. As there was obviously less activity than normal at the Headquarters, we were allowed a visit to the beautiful Dojo and the Ikenobo museum and we met some of the other professors and we were able to admire their work. Sleeping in the Ikenobo dormitory was partiularly quiet and pleasant. Each time we stepped out of the dormitory hall and into the Rokka-kudo square with its temple visitors, workers and cleaners and flocks of pigeons, was an unforgettable experience.

Meeting with Senei Ikenobo

Meeting with Yuki Ikenobo

The beautiful Dojo

Rokkakudo Temple

Cherry blossom in the Rokkakudo temple grounds

Then there was Kyoto where we quickly found our way by bus or on foot. What beautiful memories we keep of the Philosopher's - and Bamboo walk, the eastern and western hills, some of its temples and gardens, the restaurants and cafes, the market places and shops. The cherry blossom trees at Nijo castle lit up at night were a fairy tale treat!

Some of the friendly Japanese people we met expressed their gratitude for our visit during these difficult times. Thank you Ikenobo Headquarters for your hospitality and thank you Kyoto, we hope to see you again soon!

Cherry blossom at Nanzen-ji

Huge flower display at department store

Cherry blossom along the Philosopher's walk

An atmospheric Gion

Lit up cherry blossom at Nijo Castle

The lit up cherry blossom draws huge crowds

Two Maiko in a rickshaw at Bamboo walk

The Ikebana Garden

The Ikebana Garden

Wouldn’t it be ideal to grow beautiful flowers and branches in one’s own garden which can be used in our ikebana arrangements? Of course, if you have a garden, you would occasionally do so, but would it be possible to plant more suitable material and plenty of it? This is a vast subject and also a real hornet’s nest. Much depends on the growing conditions of our living area, of the amount of land available, of what we want to do in our arrangements and our experience of growing special plants.



I can only start this page as a possible forum for discussion and perhaps as an inspiration, but I am sure that the experience of many others is far more valuable than my limited adventures. The photographs show my Japanese style garden, which by no means is a good start. I have a moderately small plot and the plants that look good in it are rarely useful for ikebana. I love old fashioned scented roses which are happy in my front garden, but often have short (and very prickly) stems. Some of the tall lavenders are a summer’s day bliss but not really suitable material for arranging.

Admittedly, some of the plants are ‘neither use nor ornament’: I really should clear the patch of Chelone obliqua and replace them with for instance foxtail lilies (Eremurus). A patch of very invasive lowish bamboo, Pleioblastus variegatus, would look better when replanted with the lower and friendlier and ‘ikebanable’ Sasa veitchii minor.

If I would make a list of plants that I would like to grow, this page would be very long indeed. There is the wish (euphemism for strong desire) to grow a small needled pine, another Japanese maple (I already have two), a tree peony, a Nelumbo (white lotus), Celastrus orientalis (oriental bittersweet), a large Prunus mume (where would one buy one?), several Camellia’s (Camellia sasanqua!), a tall Cydonia etc. etc.

Then, there is the fact that some plants are quite small and although gorgeous in ikebana, grow at a rather slow rate. My Nandina domestica is a fine specimen but I would prefer it to be much taller and wider in order to withstand my constant plucking at it…… Shall I try and find space for another two?

Some of the Irises I grow are not traditionally found in Japanese ikebana: Iris germanica and Iris siberica will look good in Shoka shimputai and Jiyuka , but I hope that the white Iris ensata I planted in my pond last year will survive this dreadful winter and provide me with some beautiful flowers and leaves for a classical Shoka shofutai in late spring.

I shouldn’t complain though, there is plenty to enjoy: I love, and use Anemone x japonica (Honorine Jobert), bright yellow Hemerocallis, branches of Azalea japonica, Bletilla striata (an orchid), Solidago, Hakonechloa (a Japanese grass), Phylostachys aurea (a bamboo), Pinus mugo, Crocosmia, Hesperis matronalis (seedpods), Rodgersia, Heuchera, Sagittaria, Scirpus and Lespedeza thunbergii……. Plenty of challenges!

To be continued………………….

I planted a small tree in the front garden this May ( 2010). It is only a baby and I could not resist tying a piece of paper on a branch to wish it well and a long and happy life! Its name is Eriobotrya japonica(loquat tree) and as soon as I read in a gardening magazine it is hardy until minus10 degrees centigrade and grows to only 3-4 meters , I thought I would give it a go. The leaves are frequently used in Rikka(oba) and this was not the last reason why I decided to plant it.

Seminar/Workshop June 2009

Seminar/workshop June 2009

This took place in a hotel in the west of the Netherlands, not far from Leiden. 34 Participants were immersed in ikenobo during 4 days, talking and dreaming Ikenobo and working very hard on our flower arrangements. Professor Kobayashi was continuously teaching, reviewing and correcting all our work. We were lucky to have such a kind, patient, humorous and respectful master and the best teacher we could have wished for from Ikenobo headquarters. I learned a lot from his lessons, demonstrations and the corrections on my own work and the corrections on the arrangements of the others. The demonstration at the end of the seminar taught me that spontaneity and swift decision making is as important as careful consideration. We had a wonderful time!