Ikebana is the art of Japanese flower arranging. Unlike Western arrangements, Ikebana’s appeals worldwide is due to the uniqueness and simplicity of designs. Sogetsu, one of the largest schools of ikebana, follows the principles that any one may create an arrangement using a variety of materials, and doing it anywhere and at anytime.
The Sogetsu School of ikebana was founded in 1927 in Japan by Sofu Teshigahara whose vision was to adapt traditional ikebana to more contemporary times. While retaining some of the traditional ikebana concepts such as asymmetry, open space, and depth, he rejected many of the more rigid rules about materials, placement and permitted styles of arrangements that were integral parts of the ikebana of the past. This philosophy had a wide appeal to modern society and permitted each designer to be creative without restraints. Sofu believed that the ikebana is a form of living sculpture and a reflection of the person arranges it.