getting Japanized: Ikebana

Finally! After weeks of getting nicked from the cyberworld, our modem started flashing its red and green lights once again. Been offline for three weeks I think but it felt like 3 decades! This, my friend was only one of the aftermaths of moving from one house to another. Oh yes! We are finally settled in our new abode. Not quite though coz our bedroom (read: b-e-d-r-o-o-m! we have one now, unlike the studio type where my hubby and I lived for 4 months) is still jammed with partly opened boxes, trashed canisters, soiled mattresses etcetera etcetera..but it is still a bedroom! Its really a relief to have one.

Now I only have to post what I should have bloged decades ago-- my own ikebana experiment.






\


“Ikebana” or the Japanese art of flower arrangement translates to embody heaven, earth and man through the linear and coordinated assembly of all the materials being used. In the olden days ikebana are mainly taught to women who are about to get married. Now however, it is practiced at the convenience of anyone. Ahem! Fortunately for me, a friend received sayonara bouquets from his colleagues. Needless to say, I bargained to salvage his wilting petaled glories (because of lack of water supply). Though I think my creation were more western than local (im Japan based at the moment), my inspiration all stemmed from ikebana books I borrowed from Tsukuba public library. I figured that since I am here, I might as well learn its culture, afterall its omoshiroi! (interesting)