Category Archives: Noh no Ikebana

“I began Noh no Ikebana after I saw an obituary for Toshie Yokoi, a founder of Noh no Ikebana, in 2004. I had known her for a while, and I was very much interested in her works and also the arrangements created by other Noh no Ikebana club members. When I saw the article in 2004, I thought she was encouraging me to make a new challenge. Since then, I’ve been enjoying making my arrangements at home and in my garden and sending photos to newspaper publishers. A local photoshop closed recently, and I have less chance to make prints to contribute today. But, when I find giant alliums and … Continue reading →

“I began Noh no Ikebana four years ago. A member of a local Noh no Ikebana group invited to me to join them at an event at an agricultural research center in Kitakami City, Iwate Prefecture. With Noh no Ikebana, we are free to arrange everything we see in our daily lives such as vegetables and flowers, and I think it’s lovely. The location is also part of the arrangement, and I have an unlimited number of ways to express myself. Usually, I put small, simple, and casual arrangements at my entrance. I’d like to continue doing it and make more arrangements in a wider variety. I also want to … Continue reading →

I began Noh no Ikebana in 2016. It’s a beginner-friendly hobby as it has no rigid rule. I decided to make the new challenge when I saw my grandmother-in-law’s favorite plum tree bore fruit. It reminded me of her face and how gentle she was to me. While making the arrangement, I discovered a new side of myself, and since then, this is my favorite hobby. I make my arrangement often in mid-summer when we have not many flowers around. I put my arrangements at my entrance, and my visitors love them very much and say they are lovely. This time, I combined chrysanthemum, a favorite flower of my grandmother-in-law, … Continue reading →

“I made my first Noh no Ikebana arrangement almost ten years ago when I saw one of my friends in my neighborhood started to post photos of her artworks. In my first arrangement, I remember, I used red and white flowering kale and white Japanese daikon radish and put them in a big shallow ball called sawachi, which we use for local dishes. Since then, I’m having fun making arrangements on my own, using unique materials such as funny-shaped sprouting Konjac and a monster daikon radish. In Noh no Ikebana, I can express my imagination freely, and that’s why I like it very much. The theme of this arrangement is … Continue reading →

“I began learning ikebana in my twenties. Since then, it’s my hobby. I’m a farmer, so I use wildflowers, green items from the mountains as well as agricultural products and tools. I put my arrangements at the entrance to welcome my guests. Or I sometimes have them displayed at the local festivals. When I make an arrangement, I start by thinking about a story. I enjoy the most when I’m thinking about tools and flowers, places, and themes. Making notes and drawings is also helpful in creating an arrangement which is close to your image. I always place importance on “subtracting.” I try to hold my temptation to show all … Continue reading →