Japanese flower arrangements or Ikrbana as popularly called is one of the most spectacular and brilliant ways of flower arrangements prevalent today. The salient feature of the Japanese flower arrangement is the importance that is given to the form and line as compared to the colors of the blooms. The branch line is arranged in a beautiful and wonderful way and is preferred above the group of blossoms, no matter who bright in color and form they may be.
Japanese Flower Arrangement Styles
The style in which the Japanese flower arrangement is done is based on the concepts
of Buddhism. But with the flow of time there has been modifications
and today the Japanese flower arrangement is a unique combination
of different types of materials is used suggesting the time and
the season.
The past: full bloom blossoms, pods or dried
leaves
The present: half open blossoms or perfect leaves
The future: buds, suggesting future growth
Type of Flower
Arrangements Spring: vital arrangement with vigorous
curves
Summer: full and spreading arrangement
Autumn:
sparse and thin arrangement
Winter: dormant and somewhat
dreary arrangement
National Flowers
Along with the symbolism that is associated with the Japanese flower arrangement
there is also the importance of the different national holidays.
No household celebration is complete without the appropriate flower
arrangement. Like for the
New
Year celebrations, pine and white chrysanthemums are usually
used. On the other hand in the doll festival peach blossoms is the
main flower and for the Boys’Festival it has to be iris flower arrangement.
Form of Japanese Flower Arrangements
The Japanese flower arrangement is composed of three triangular groups of flowers and branches. There is the straight central group, an intermediate group that leans away from the central straight group and an inverted triangle group that leans away from the central group on the opposite side of the intermediate group.
The flowers that are mostly used for Japanese flower arrangements are those that grow naturally in the garden or the countryside. Fully blossomed flowers are hardly ever used and also the branches of trees producing big leaves or bushes are not used.
Tight buds are preferred as this enhances the beauty of the flower arrangements and also the recipient can enjoy the pleasure of seeing the bud open up slowly.
Principles of Japanese Flower Arrangement
The Japanese flower arrangement lays emphasis on the line of arrangement and has developed the art to include stems, leaves and branches as well as flowers. The line for the Japanese flower arrangement is symbolic of Heaven, Man and Earth. The most important line in this is the step of the flower arrangement that is symbolic of heaven and is often called Primary or “Shin”. It is this stem that forms the central line of the whole arrangement.
Then comes the secondary stem or the “Soe” that symbolizes man. This is placed in a manner so as to give the effect of growing sideways and forward from the centerline. This is generally two-thirds the height of the Primary stem and inclined toward it.
The third one is the Tertiary or the “Hikae” stem and it is symbolic of Earth and this is the shortest and is placed towards the front or slightly to the opposite side of the roots of the first two. All of them are fastened securely in a holder to give the complete effect of growing from one stem. One can later on add additional flowers to fill in the empty spaces.
