The hall of the National Theater “Mihai Eminescu” was besieged by dozens of persons who came to see a masterclass on Japanese ikebana in the evening of September 10. The arrangements were made by teacher Ishiwata Masafumi, of the Kyoto Ikebana School “Ikenobo”, who came to Moldova for the first time. He made 12 floral arrangements according to different techniques and explained the employed methods.

Ishiwata Masafumi has told IPN that the 12 arrangements represented his inner state and traditional and modern forms of plant arrangement. “In the past the flower arrangements were made only by men because the raw material for them was brought from mountains and forests. Currently, 99% of the students at the “Ikenobo” Ikebana School are women,” said the teacher.

He also said that the ikebana arrangements must be made only with living flowers and they can bring harmony in the place where they are placed. “In the modern times, when the homes are smaller, the size of ikebana arrangements diminished significantly. The traditional arrangements were 7 meters wide and 4 meters high,” said Ishiwata Masafumi.

Another teacher of the “Ikenobo” School Iamada Midori, who holds the highest degree in ikebana, said the first ikebana arrangements were attested 550 years ago, but specialists consider that they started to be made in the 6th century. “The ikebana arrangements were first made in order to make sacrifices to Buddha. Now they are used as decorations,” he stated, adding that this art is learned throughout life and is transmitted from generation to generation.

The ikebana demonstration in Chisinau was staged the 15th consecutive year. The event is organized by the Embassy of Japan in Moldova and the branch in Chisinau of the “Ikenobo” Ikebana School that is managed by Angela Lobastov.