Everyone sat in rapt attention as Rishi Otsuka, headmaster of the Koryu Katabamikai School of Ikebana, moulded and trimmed branches before balancing them in variously shaped and sized containers at an event on Monday in the city’s Paryatak Bhavan. It was the 15th anniversary celebration of the Hyderabad chapter of Ikebana International and the expert pointed out to the guests the importance of space and the complete lack of symmetry, which helps each twig and flower takes its place in the Ikebana decoration — a 600-year-old Japanese tradition.
In Japan, there are several schools of ikebana and each one has a distinct style, with some staying faithful to the traditional methods and others flirting with freestyle.
Frequently referred to as ‘Sensei’, Otsuka explains: “Ikebana, in its very essence, promotes a greater understanding between humans and nature. And everywhere that I go, I get to work with different kinds of flowers, branches and materials, which I find very exciting. In Hyderabad, for example, I see so many buildings around, but at the same time, there are such lovely trees and flowers that help people connect with their surroundings,” he says.
Interestingly, while most of the ikebana enthusiasts at the event were women, it wasn’t very long ago that they were actually forbidden from practising this Japanese art form. “Started by monks around 600 years ago, ikebana was also a part of the Samurai household and women were strictly prohibited from practicing. But after the World War II, when the government decided that women should learn some skills to empower themselves, Ikebana was one of them. And it was only later, that this art of flower arrangement started spreading across the world,” Otsuka adds.
