KADO is an explosion! ~The 90th anniversary celebration of the Sogetsu-ryu ーSo-ryu Festivalー~

“Ikebana” is a traditional and historical Japanese art, where is flowers and

plants are specially arranged in a vase for appreciation.

Does that sound like a bit of a classic and difficult lesson? Nyapan had such an image.I sometimes decorate my room with reasonable cut flowers in a vase that I can afford to buy in a one coin shop as a daily pleasure.But “Ikebana”,which is also called Kado, was a totally unknown world for me. Even though Nyapan doesn’t have a knowledge about it,I was invited to an event of “Sogetsu-ryu(※)”one day.(※It’s one of the schools of Kado. There are some schools of Kado,which have different styles or methods).And I went there with great interest.

The event, ”The 90th anniversary celebration of the Sogetsu-ryu ーSo-ryu Festivalー” was the live stage performance that Ms. Akane Teshigahara, who is a IV “Iemoto(grand master) of the Sogetsu school, arranged flowers on a stage.Sogetsu-ryu is called a figurative art.So, prominent trees and a huge vase wereset on the stage, which was breathtaking enough.In addition to them, the Iemoto(grand master) started arranging flowers and trees there intuitively, giving directions to assistants.That figure was dignified and confident.It seemed like she brought the flowers to life and I was spellbound by the ever-changing scene of the color.That was beyond the Kado -flower arranging-, which had a dynamic presence!And the wonderful thing was that I could feel a flower’s transience or the beauty of Japanese culture in the dynamism,at the same time. Nypan was in the fullness of my heart.

The music with the performance on the stage was“Tsugarujamisen(Japanese

instrumental,stringed lute developed in Aomori Prefecture), played by Shuichi

Hidano and Yutaka Oyama. The music was cool! I also could enjoy a dance

performance by a dance group called the ”WRECKING CREW ORCHESTRA”

,which livened it up.The very begging of the day’s program, showed a film on a screen which showed the Iemoto from the founder to the third.I was impressed with their words, which were “When you arrange flowers, flowers become human”,”Youshould always try to make a discovery, in daily work and also in your future as an unknown territory for you” and “ You should be greedy to move your heart”, etc…I really got the enthusiasm from them as a creator. The Kado is from the ancient animism.And that special sense of beauty has been inherited to our time,which gives me a big impression.

After experiencing it, I checked the Kado lessons on the internet.There are

some courses.A simple one where I’m able to finish a class in only three classes has a lesson fee that is cheaper than I expected.I guess I’ll try it before long..I found classes that you can have in English! If you are interested in it, why don’t you experience it? You will probably have fun to experience the Kado,which is different from western style flower arrangement.