Flower Arranging

Japanese flower arranging, called Ikebana or Kado, is like painting a picture with flowers, with each blossom, stem, vase and stand chosen with great care and arranged in perfect grace, harmony and beauty. Originally developed from the Buddhist ritual of offering flowers to the spirit of the dead, Japanese flower arranging evolved into different schools of thought, each with their own methods and philosophies. Today there are more than 20 well-known schools of flower arranging, a few of which open their doors to foreigners eager for a quick lesson in English. Department stores sometimes have ikebana shows. Incidentally, Ikebana has spread throughout the world largely through the efforts of Ikebana International [more info: www.ikebanahq.org.]

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