DEEP DIVES WITH DŌJIN ARTS: Ikebana

The program will begin with a slide lecture tracing the history of floral arrangements as they developed from early ritual offerings to formal displays at the court of shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa in the late 15th century. Our Executive Director, Maiko Behr, will present a fascinating collection of images from ancient illustrated instruction manuals as well as photographs of treasured cultural properties demonstrating the deep connections between the evolving art of Ikebana (kadō) and its sister arts of tea (sadō) and incense (kōdō) as they took shape amidst the growing influence of Zen Buddhist philosophy and aesthetics.

The slide lecture will be followed by a live ikebana demonstration showcasing three “standing flower” forms – early Tatehana, traditional-form Rikka, and new-form Rikka – by Cecily Chang of the Ikenobo school, the oldest school of ikebana and a lineage that was formalized during this seminal period in Japanese cultural history.

This program is perfect for anyone interested in ikebana and/or the major Zen-influenced arts that flourished during the Muromachi period.

We hope you will join us in this floral celebration of Bunka no Hi 文化の日 Culture Day!

About Deep Dives with Dōjin Arts

This program is part of "Deep Dives with Dōjin Arts," a series of engaging programming designed to offer participants context for a deeper understanding and appreciation of traditional Japanese arts. Each program in the series delves into the history, cultural significance, and techniques behind various Japanese art forms, from ceramics and incense to tea traditions, flower arrangement, and beyond. Whether you are an art enthusiast, cultural scholar, or simply interested in deepening your understanding of Japanese art traditions, we hope that you will join us!

About the Educators

Maiko Behr has worked as a Japanese to English translator, curator, and consultant specializing in Japanese arts for over twenty years. She is the owner of SaBi Tea Arts, where she teaches chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony) in the Omotesenke tradition and kōdō (Japanese incense ceremony) in the Senzan Goryū tradition. In the non-profit sector, Maiko has served locally on the board of directors of the Tomoe Arts Society for over ten years, and has worked and volunteered for various Japanese and Asian arts- related non-profit associations and museums in Canada and the US.

Cecily Chang is a senior Professor of Ikebana, Ikenobo School. She has studied Ikebana for more than 40 years and has been teaching since 1995. She specializes in Japanese flower arrangement (Ikebana) and custom floral pieces for weddings and special events. Cecily was the Vice President of the Vancouver Ikebana Association in 2006/2007 & 2018/2019; and President for the 2008/2009, 2020/2021 seasons. She has been the President of Ikenobo Ikebana Society of Vancouver since 2020.