 Flower
Arranging
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The art of flower arranging began about 1400 years ago with the beginning
of Buddhism in Japan. People wishing to honor Buddha with gifts of flowers
wanted them arranged artistically. The first style was the Rikka style.
These arrangements were formal and difficult to compose. Rikka was perfected
about 500 years ago in the Muromachi Era. Buddhist priests used an even
simpler style, and Kado, the study of flower arranging, became more popular
than ever. The first book on Kado was published in 1470. Harmony is the
goal of the art of flower arranging, and the basis for arrangements is
the triad of Heaven-Earth-Human. Don't you love to see a beautiful flower
arrangement with everything in perfect balance?
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In Japan, flower arranging is an art many young ladies learn in prepartion
for marriage. I recently visited a teacher of flower arranging, Haruko
Hiroe, who lives in Arashima and teaches the Obara Method. One of her
best students is her granddaughter, Yasuko Hiroe. Yasuko, one of my university
students, had invited me to visit, and when I entered the house, I was
greeted by a particularly lovely flower arrangement in the entry hall.
Yasuko said that she had made it herself in honor of my visit. Wasn't
that a wonderful thing to do? I was very pleased, and appreciated that
kind act. Then her grandmother arrived, and we had some refreshments and
talked about flower arranging. The Hiroe family is responsible for the
flower arrangements in some of the local shrines at which
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Yasuko's father is the Head Priest. We visited one, Akae Hachimangu,
right in the middle of Arashima. It was very neat and interesting. I really
enjoyed my visit with these fine people, and I thank them very much. I
think we should all get out of our cities regularly and visit the small
towns to appreciate their beauty and culture. It would do us good.
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