Vol. 50: Thank you! Osaka! (Part 1)

The Sogetsu Ikebana Exhibition “Believing in the Power of Flowers” at the Osaka Takashimaya Department Store, attracting a large number of visitors, came to an end on March 27. I am delighted you all came to the site!

This exhibition was to have been held in March 2011 as the opening of various events to celebrate my 10th anniversary as Iemoto throughout the year. But it was postponed just before it started because of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

This was also the first exhibition in the Kansai area organized by the Sogetsu Headquarters in more than three decades. Therefore, all the exhibitors, staff members, and I had a very special feeling for this exhibition. This was really a crowded week into which we put our energy and passion to create “the best exhibition that Sogetsu can put on !”

Tuesday, March 20

Traveled from Tokyo to Osaka. For this exhibition, we will stay in Osaka for eight days. When I arrived, I checked the window display of the Osaka Takashimaya Department Store.

This display entitled “Sealing Time – Spring 2011-12: So that all do not fade away” was created by student volunteers from the Plastic Arts Course at the Sogetsu School Osaka, under the art direction of Shinji Morino, Instructor of the Plastic Arts Course at the Sogetsu School Osaka. Pressed leaves collected from all over Japan were used.

Reflecting the nighttime illumination of the streets, a marvelous floating feeling was created.

Pedestrians stopped to gaze at the display as if they were being sucked into it

Then, at night, I created the welcome flower installation at the entrance stage on the first floor of Takashimaya.

With double-flowered cherry, flowering garden peach, peach, azalea, and camellia, the color was coordinated all in glamorous pink. Bamboo created movement. The production was completed at midnight! Tomorrow I have to set all my ikebana works at the exhibition site. It will be a long day.

Wednesday, March 21

At 10 am, I started the production of the large work.

Huge trees of several hundred kilograms. They were secured steadily and firmly.

The tree called Remano from Bali: it has a feeling of vitality as if it starts moving.

Different places have different materials. Inspired by unique materials that are not often seen in Kanto, the production progressed smoothly.

Next, the flowering garden peach with handsome branches was arranged and depth was provided with camellia and Thunberg spirea.

In the afternoon, the exhibitors started arranging their works!

Containers in the Sogetsu Collection section, awaiting the exhibitors

Section of the large work created by the supporters of Sogetsu School Osaka

Members who devoted themselves to the creation boosted my spirits higher and higher!

Arrangement of small works started.

This time, I used vases that I had made myself for all my works.

Glass containers were used in the window provided at the viewers’ eye level.

The 21st arrangement. For this last work, I placed one rose (name: Akane.)

Midnight: We had to leave the site. I completed all the arrangements and went back to the hotel with a comfortable fatigue and sense of achievement, awaiting tomorrow- first day.

Thursday, March 22

Finally the exhibition will start!

Before the opening, honored guests were invited to hold the opening ceremony and cut the ribbon.

Filming by Television Osaka

In this exhibition, the venue was divided into seven sections, showing diversity and multiplicity of Sogetsu expressions.

After coming in, the first thing that visitors see is the folding screen, “Camellia,” created by Sofu Teshigahara, the first Iemoto. This is the section of “Past Iemotos’ Influence” where Master Instructors of the Sogetsu Headquarters arranged flowers in the containers left by the past three Iemotos: Sofu, Kasumi and Hiroshi.

Work by Mr. Ryu Ishikawa, a great Master Instructor with long experience who has continuously supported Sogetsu since the days of Sofu

With the folding screen: “Half God, Half Beast.” All the containers used in this section were created by Hiroshi Teshigahara.

Miniature works created with the containers collected by Kasumi, the second Iemoto.

Next a fantastic shocking-pink tunnel appeared.

This magical space was a collaboration by 33 people, mainly the students who are taking classes at the Sogetsu School Osaka. A nylon thread was dyed in pink and hand-knitted to prepare 700 elements. The total length of the thread used reached 170,000 m! It feels mysterious as if we got lost in a different dimension.

Then, followed by the impressive section where group works by the Branches and individual works from all over Japan are displayed. A wide range of creations, from plastic arts to arrangements in which the appeal of live plants is skillfully utilized, are on display.

Next is the section where my works are arranged.

The large work, all in white, welcomes the visitors: dynamic Remano with white wood surface, cute flowering garden peach in pure white, Thunberg spirea in full bloom, and two types of red camellia.

19 small works arranged in my own ceramic and glass vases are displayed in three directions.

It was impressive that there were so many people who spent a lot of time enjoying the ikebana works. Especially in front of the large work with the Remano and flowering garden peach, numerous people were always standing, and all of them had a refreshed look and seemed to be so comfortable. Seeing these people made me very happy!

Next is the “Arranging in Sogetsu Collection” section.

It is a place of creative challenge using the masterpiece containers collected by the past Iemotos.

Then, there is “Song ´ Ikebana,” the experimental space where the world of “I believe,” a hit song of Ayaka, a popular Japanese singer-song writer, is expressed in ikebana.

Music and ikebana resonate in the space where “I believe” is played.

The “Next Generation Support Section” provided against a bright blue external wall. Arrangements created from unique ideas are displayed.

I worked out the space composition over and over again so that visitors can enjoy right up to the end with the variation created in a limited space. I personally was very convinced that the result was quite satisfactory. How did you feel?

Saturday, March 24
On Saturday and Sunday, as the events related to the exhibition, “Mada Ima Tada Ima,” a special workshop for children in their spring vacation using pressed leaves, and the demonstration, “Haru Asobi / Hana Asobi” were held.

Works are created by laminating a piece on which a message is written with pressed flowers and leaves.

Both children and adults were enthusiastic!

I did conducted a demonstration in front of a huge audience.

Feeling the heat from the audience, I also gradually felt empowered! Great fun!

The night of this day was scheduled for changing the arrangements for the second term. I concentrated on the creation in a limited time.

Honestly speaking, the backstage of the Osaka Takashimaya is very complicated, so it is tremendously difficult to change the arrangements between the first and second terms in a short time. However, thanks to the cooperation and sufficient preparation of Takashimaya, we managed to overcome this situation. The production could be completed at 23:30, just ahead of schedule. So far everything has gone well without causing any serious problems. What’s more, I heard the good news that the number of visitors had increased day by day. I will work even harder for the remaining three days!