Difference between ikebana and Flower Arrangement

Before coming to Tokyo I also attended some Ikebana classes in a small town Kobayashi where I used to live before. However, before I was introduced to Ikebana I thought that it would be the same as regular flower arrangement to which I was introduced back at home as well. In this post I collected some of the main differences which I found interesting.

Origin:

Ikebana originated in Asia, regular flower arrangement originated in Europe.

Plant Materials:

While regular European flower arrangemet only uses flowers Ikebana also take advantage of other plant materials such as grasses, leaves and trees like curly willows, bear grasses and thin twigs whatsoever.

Purpose:

The main purpose of usual European flower arrangement is to consciously put together a group of flowers so they create an overall effect that is beautiful as a compisition. On the otherhand, in Ikebana there is a great emphasis put on manners an etiquette. Historically Japanese women from a decent family have been learning Ikebana as part of training for married life. Strictly speaking, in order to learn etiquette and manner, lessons must be done in the room of Tatami mat on which both an instructor and students need to sit according to the traditional way.

Tools:

In Ikebana Kenzan is often used which is a metal plate on which flowers are usually inserted onto. Regular flower arrangement uses floral foam called ‘Oasis’ which purpose is to act and look like a sponge.

Traditional Japnese dance (日本舞踊)

I feel very special because during this short time I have spent in Japan, I had the opportunity to try out many traditional things. Among these experiences, the most wonderful thing is that I could attend traditional Japanese dance (日本舞踊) lessons.

Before coming to Japan I have been doing ballet so dance was something very close to my heart. I really love the emotions expressed by each movements, performed in a dance. I think ballet goes deep inside, to our hidden places. It teaches us what the human body can do when presistance overcomes the physical limitations of the body.

To be entirely hounest, I didn’t think that I would be touched by anything else as much as by ballet but after the first time I had the chance to see proper performance on the stage, I became really fond of it. Although, I still prefer ballet over Nihon buyo, I trully appreciale it’s artistic feautures and the emotions behind it. Also. in ballet the performance is usually focused on the movements mainly so it has a limited narrative scenes. On the otherhand, nihon buyo is taught in a context with lot of historical background and cultural grounding. Therefore, I feel very lucky because through dancing nihon buyou I could deepen my cultural and historical understanding nontheless, my language skills greatly improved as well.

It would be a mistake to underestimate this type of dance. It might requires less phisical strength than ballet but it’s necessary to have a great deal of emotianal presence during dancing.

I belive, that it’s really hard to give a perfect performance due some of the compex movements in it. So, it takes a lot of effert until someone can perfect the movements.

Having my first Ikebana class <3

One of the main reasons why I came to Japan is to experience the traditional culture of this country. Living in a metropolitan city like Tokyo can make it hard to immerse onself in the classical, time-honoured heritage of Japan. Yet, i believe thart if you look hard, you can find plenty of opportunities, which offer you to teach about the historical and cultural past.

So, after doing some research on the Internet, I found an Ikebana class in Shinjuku which offers weekly sessions in English. Although, I didnt really know what to expect from this class, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I came to really like the meaninng behind Japanese flower arrangement. The idea of trying to find the right balnce balance but also also expressing one’s emotions in the same time makes it a unique form of art!

Indonesian Traditional Clothes

Hello Everyone! I’m new here. This week is my third week here in Japan.

One of many things I realized after three weeks living in Japan is that Japanese people dress themselves very nicely and their style vary from each other. To me, Japanese people seem to put a lot of attention to fashion and their clothes. That’s why I’d like to show you Indonesian traditional clothes.

Indonesia has more than 700 tribes that’s spread out in 33 provinces in Indonesia. Each tribe usually has their own traditional clothes that’s unique and differs from each other. Does that mean you need to visit every province to see the traditional clothes? Worry not, you don’t need to do that. You can just visit Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) that’s located in our capital city, Jakarta. TMII has more than 50 collections of Indonesian traditional clothes. You can check some of them in the picture I took there below. In TMII, you can also find miniature of Indonesian traditional house, cultural exhibition, and many more.

If you are planning to go to Jakarta or just interested in Indonesian culture, just comment below. Maybe I can give you some tips! ;)