Next year, Ikenobo will celebrate the 555th year since the name Ikenobo first appeared in historic records and the 1430th year of Rokkakudo Temple’s establishment.
The power of plants which stretches to the sky and keeps growing everyday supports Kado to overcome difficult times, handing down its skill and heart from generation to generation.
With the title,“The Power of Flowers,” the 2016 Ikenobo Autumn Tanabata Exhibition, the largest and oldest ikebana exhibition held continuously from the Edo period (17th century), will take place at Kyoto Takashimaya Department Store and Ikenobo Headquarters.
Exhibition period and site
✿Nov. 9 (Wed) – 14 (Mon) at Takashimaya Department Store in Kyoto
Open from 10:00 to 20:00 (Exhibits close at 18:00 on Nov. 10, 12 and 14.)
✿Nov. 11(Fri) – Nov. 14(Mon) at Ikenobo Headquarters in Kyoto
Open from 9:00 to 17:00
※Ticketscan be purchased at the door 900 yen.
(Admission free for high school students or younger)
SPECIAL EVENTS
“Hana Gyoretsu” (Flower Parade)
Date: Nov. 12(Sat) 13:00
Floats carrying flowers in a large vase, or a small cart decorated with flowers will travel a route of about 600 meters from the Ikenobo Junior College to the Rokkakudo temple, Kyoto. Young women wearing kimono, children in traditional attire, and other volunteers will participate in this parade.
※The parade will take place even if it rains (except for stormy weather)
“Hana no Koshien” (Live Ikebana Competition for High School Students)
Nov. 13 (Sun), Hall on the 2nd Floor, Ikenobo HQ
1st part: 9:15 – 11:45
2nd part: 12:45 – 15:30
Students from 13 high schools throughout Japan who have won local preliminary competitions will compete in the final in Kyoto. Each school team consists of 3 students. The audience will also be to vote for the winner.
※An admission ticket for the exhibition is required for viewing this competition.
≪SPECIAL FEATURE≫ The World of the Movie “Hana-ikusa Flower Wars” at Takashimaya Dept. Store
The movie “Hana-ikusa Flower Wars” describes the story of Senko Ikenobo Ⅰwho sought for peace through flowers instead of swords during the Period of Warring States and will be on the big screen in the summer of 2017.
In the Exhibition, the ikebana scene in the movie which is set in Rokkakudo Temple, the film-making video and the movie props will be displayed.
Before showing on the big screen, visitors can first appreciate the world of the movie in the Exhibition.
Movie “Hana-ikusa” on screen in the summer of 2017
【Cast】Mansai Nomura / Ennosuke Ichikawa / Kiichi Nakai / Kuranosuke Sasaki / Koichi Sato
【Screenplay】Yoshiko Morishita
【Music】Jo Hisaishi
【Director】Tetsuo Shinohara
(Based on the novel of Tadashi Onitsuka published by Kadokawa Bunko.)
| ※Kyutanabata-e |
Since the Heian Period (8th century), flower arranging has been one of the events of the Tanabata or Star Festival celebration, held annually on the seventh night of the seventh lunar month. In the early Edo period (17th century) Headmaster Senko Ikenobo II was often invited to the rikka gatherings held by Emperor Gomizuno-o at the Imperial Court. Subsequently, special permission was granted to Ikenobo by the Emperor to hold the Tanabata Rikka-kai (Tanabata Rikka Gathering) and the event became one of the well-known annual events in Kyoto. Due to the abolition of Gosekku (five seasonal festivals on the lunar calendar) in the Meiji Period, the Tanabata Rikka Gathering was renamed as Kyutanabata-e (meaning “ancient Tanabata-e”). Since then the event has been held continuously although there have been changes in the exhibition period.
