Japan and Japanese people have given much to the world. They are innovative and creative in many ways. They are strong, when are together and know exactly where their strength is – in the high spirit and the common aim.
Although the Japanese world and way of life is full of high technologies, they are never been insensitive about the nature and the surrounding world. They
are paying attention to the smallest part and that is why everything they do is so successful.
The Ikebana art is very specific part of the Japanese culture, which has always brought great interest in Europe, America and the rest of the world.
The
origins of this art are hiding back in the past. There is no particular year which is said to be the first when this tradition started in Japan. It still remains not completely identified. It is mostly connected with the Buddhist religion and since it has reached the country in the 7th century, the origins of the art of Ikebana can also be put there. The tradition to put flowers in front of the altars and temples of Buddha was somehow important part of the establishing of this art.
Although it is connected with the spreading of the Buddhism on the territory of Japan, the art of the Ikebana gain real fame in the fifteenth century. The first people to teach the specific ways according to which this art arranges the plants were the Buddhist priests. As this activity became more popular, many schools appeared all over the country.
Many patterns and ways to create the pieces of art of Ikebana have changed during the centuries, but the idea stays unique and the same from the beginning. The evaluation of the art passed many stages. During his development from the seventh century it changed much and succeeded to reach the taste and the attention of the regular people just in the middle of the fifteenth century. Until that moment the rules, if it is even possible to talk of such, was not established, because the design was very simple and the only requirement was to be esthetically beautiful.
After the Ikebana became so popular, some very strict instructions was followed and things were done in specific order. This lead to the beginning of many styles, that developed during the years. The first way that became famous in Japan for making an Ikebana art was the one with the central stem and two shorter and smaller stems, which are added to it. As the 16th and 17th century was the time when many castles were built they needed much of a decoration. This role was taken from the pieces of Ikebana, which were made back then.
The other style is named Rikka. It usually is formed by seven objects or parts, which represent the main parts of the nature, like valleys, rivers, hill and others. They are all arranged in very specific way.
The tea ceremony gave birth to the next Ikebana style. The pieces of art that are made according to this style of the Ikebana are mostly used to decorate the rooms, where the teas ceremony is held.
The styles added to the Ikebana art are many and still new are developing even in the modern times. What is common for all of them is the spiritual part of the art. The Ikebana pieces are made in complete silence. This is very important for the practitioners and to the viewers as well. When everything is quiet it is easier to appreciate the nature, the real things and the world outside the usual everyday life in the big cities.