Meet Ikenobo Across the Globe #4 Ikenobo Vietnam Central Chapter

In this series, we are introducing our many Chapters and Study Groups who love, learn and practice Ikenobo ikebana with passion. The 4th Chapter we will introduce is Ikenobo Vietnam Central Study Group located in Hanoi, the Capital City of Vietnam.

Have you ever been to Hanoi – Vietnam’s capital City? Having celebrated its 1000th birthday, the city proudly boasts its historic charm, but it also bustles with modern energy. At the heart of the city is the Old Quarter, an area of extreme historical and cultural richness and much beloved among Hanoi’s many tourist attractions. The Quarter also houses the Ikebana House. The Ikebana House, as a common destination for Ikebana enthusiasts, is the headquarter, class and event venue of our Ikenobo Vietnam Central Study Group.

Our study group is led by instructor Nguyen Thanh Tu, who has been guiding our activities with her motto: “To practice Ikebana is to pursue more than just beautiful arrangements.” She expects her students to be the Ikebana practitioners who go beyond the mere appearance of the arrangements and exercise a beautiful attitude toward life and others.

Our group has been active since 2017 and was recently recognized officially in April 2021. Among us, approximately 50 members have been awarded certificates ranging from Nyumon to Kako (The assistant of professor grade 1). We organize weekly classes for members and taster workshops for those who wish to get to know about Ikebana at the Ikebana House, offering surprisingly interesting experiences and spreading the beauty of Ikebana in our community.

Besides regular classes, we also hold other events, most notably is the Ha Noi Ikebana Exhibition – our yearly exhibition from 2017, to encourage bonding among members and provide the community with exposure to Ikebana. With our enormous voluntary efforts, the exhibitions were cultural events much welcomed by our members and the community. Especially, the exhibitions also offered us invaluable opportunities to learn and to share the beauty of Ikebana.

Another awaited classic event was the first arrangement of the new year (Hatsuike).

This fall we expect to hold the fifth Ha Noi Ikebana Exhibition and the first Ho Chi Minh City Ikebana Exhibition when the Covid situation in Viet Nam recedes.

Our city Hanoi is also known as “the city of the 12 flower seasons”. Blessed with four distinctive seasons, we lovingly enjoy beautiful seasonal flowers in each and every season (even each and every month) of the year. We would practice with these seasonal materials, the most common among which are Lisianthus, Chrysanthemum and Rose. However, our especially favorite is Lotus – a summer beauty with rare purity giving off a sense of absolute tranquility.

We are glad to introduce ourselves to you, hoping to have a chance to see you soon in Hanoi.

You can find more on the website of Vietnam Central Study Group

This time we have introduced the Ikenobo Vietnam Central Study Group from Hanoi. Next time we will introduce another Chapter or Study Group from different country. We hope are looking forward to share this with you.