Hello, I am Takako Utsunomiya, the teacher overseeing the Ikebana club. At the Kanazawa Campus, where the 4th- and 5th-year students study, we offer an extracurricular Ikebana activity. The participating students receive instruction twice a month from Ms. Howa Minamikawa, a member of the Eighth Division of the Sogetsu School’s Ishikawa Branch. This year, four students—three from the 4th year and one from the 5th year—are taking part in the club.

As we begin our Ikebana activities for the second semester, I would like to reflect on what our 4th- and 5th-year students accomplished during the first semester and highlight their involvement in the club.

[May]
The fourth‑year students used the flower shears with surprising skill for beginners, and Ms. Minamikawa (Ikebana instructor) even complimented their work. Their faces were full of concentration as they planned their designs. The fifth‑year student quietly focused on his own arrangement while warmly welcoming the younger members.

[June]
One student quietly focused on her flowers, others asked the teacher for advice, and still another enjoyed lively conversation with classmates as she decided on her designs. There were many different paths to creating a piece, each one unique to the student.

[July ①]
The sunflower’s head was simply too heavy. Even so, driven by the desire to make it face upward, the student kept trying different ideas. Did you notice the toothpick quietly supporting it in the photo? That small touch speaks volumes about her dedication to the piece.

[July ②]
Ms. Minamikawa, our Ikebana instructor, is also a certified Urasenke tea ceremony teacher. She kindly arranged an opportunity for the 4th- and 5th-year students to experience the tea ceremony, and we were served higashi sweets from “Yoshihashi” in Higashiyama, Kanazawa.

[July ③]
Students’ Ikebana works are displayed in various locations, including the president’s office, the main entrance of the ICT, and the space beneath the staircase. Recently, the students have started to concentrate on their own display sites.

[October]
The 4th- and 5th-year students have been given the opportunity to participate in the Sogetsu 100th Anniversary Ikebana Exhibition, “Creating Together, Connecting to the Future,” and to showcase their work in the Mirai Corner.
(Our sincere thanks to everyone at the Sogetsu Ikebana Association, Ishikawa Branch.)
The exhibition will be held from October 10 (Sat.) to 12 (Mon.) at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Basement Level 1, People’s Gallery B. If you happen to be in the area, we would be delighted if you could stop by and take a look at the students’ work.
https://www.sogetsu.or.jp/events/local/816652/

Ikebana Club
Takako Utsunomiya