The Rokkakudo Temple is said to have been founded by Prince Shotoku about 1400 years ago. Priests who made floral offerings at the Buddhist altar of this temple lived near a pond (the Japanese word “ike”), in a small hut (called “bo”). For this reason people began to call the priests by the name “Ikenobo”.
The oldest extant record mentioning the name Ikenobo is “Hekizan Nichiroku”, the diary of Unzen Taigyoku, a zen monk at Tofukuji Temple in Kyoto. It states that a beautiful arrangement made by Senkei Ikenobo, priest of the Rokkakudo Temple, was highly-reputed throughout Kyoto. This shows that Senkei Ikenobo was already well-known as a “master of flower arranging”. The year 2012 will mark the 550th year since the name Ikenobo first appeared in historic records.
“Ikenobo Ikebana 550th Year Celebration” is the general name of events and activities to be organized on this auspicious occasion, an opportunity to review the progress we have made so far, and to determine the path for taking a first step towards the future.
We are planning many commemorative events and activities to celebrate this occasion for one year, starting with the 2011 Autumn Tanabata Exhibition held in Kyoto in November this year.
2011 Ikenobo Autumn Tanabata Exhibition
Ikenobo’s largest annual exhibition is the opening event of the Ikenobo Ikebana 550th Year Celebration.
● November 9-14, 2011 Takashimaya Department Store, Kyoto
● November 11-14, 2011 Ikenobo Headquarters, Kyoto
2012 Ikenobo New Year Arranging Ceremony and Exhibit
Ikenobo’s annual event that celebrates the New Year, with the arranging flower at the beginning of the year. It also has the meaning of the beginning of practice for the New Year.
● January 5, 2012 Ikenobo Headquarteres, Kyoto
● Participation: Ikenobo members only
Flower Offering Ceremony and Exhibition at Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine
● February 17-20, 2012 Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, Fukuoka
Ikenobo Exhibition in Osaka
Ikebana exhibits created by Ikenobo members from the Kinki area
● March 1-6, 2012 Takashimaya Department Store, Osaka
Flower Offering Ceremony and Exhibition at Ise Jingu Shrine
● April 3-4, 2012 Ise Jingu Shrine
2012 Ikenobo Spring Exhibition
Ikebana exhibits created by students of the Ikenobo Central Training Institute
● April 13-16, 2012 Ikenobo Headquarters, Kyoto
Rokkakudo Illumination
The Rokkakudo temple will be beautifully illuminated in the evening and some ikebana will be displayed outdoors in the temple grounds.
● April 13-16, 2012 Rokkakudo temple, Kyoto
Ikenobo Ikebana Exhibition in Sendai
Ikebana exhibits created by Ikenobo members from the Tohoku area
● May 9-14, 2012 Mitsukoshi Department Store, Sendai
Ikenobo Ikebana 550th Year Special Exhibition in Tokyo
Highlight of the Ikenobo Ikebana 550th Year Celebration
● May 31-June 5, 2012 Nihonbashi Takashimaya Department Store, Tokyo
● Details to be decided
Ikenobo Ikebana 550th Year Special Demonstration in Tokyo
Highlight of the Ikenobo Ikebana 550th Year Celebration
● June 6, 2012
● Participation: Ikenobo members only / Details to be decided
Ikenobo Hana no Koshien
Live Competition for High School Students
● Local Preliminary Competition: September-October
● Final Competition in Kyoto: November
Ikenobo Ikebana Exhibition in Tokyo
Ikebana exhibits mainly created by Ikenobo members from the Kanto area
● September 12-17, 2012 Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Department Store, Tokyo
Ikenobo Ikebana Exhibition in Nagoya
Ikebana exhibits created by Ikenobo members from the Chubu area
● September 19-24, 2012 Matsuzakaya Department Store, Nagoya
Ikenobo Ikebana Exhibition in Fukuoka
Ikebana exhibits created by Ikenobo members from the Kyushu area
● October 3-8, 2012 Iwataya Department Store, Fukuoka
2012 Ikenobo Autumn Tanabata Exhibition
Ikenobo’s largest annual exhibition is the final event of the Ikenobo Ikebana 550th Year Celebration.
● November 14-19, 2012 Takashimaya Department Store, Kyoto
● November 16-19, 2012 Ikenobo Headquarters, Kyoto
