Ikebana Master Hosts Free Demonstration on Feb. 25 at Old School Square

Master of Traditional Japanese Flower Arrangement Hosts Free Demonstration on Feb. 25 at Old School Square

With more than 55 years of teaching experience, Chieko Mihori will demonstrate Ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement

Founder and Director of Sogetsu Ikebana Florida and Delray Beach resident Chieko Mihori will host an Ikebana demonstration on Sunday, February 25 at 2 p.m. at Old School Square’s Crest Theatre, located at 51 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach.

Admission is free and seating is limited. To RSVP and reserve a seat, call the Crest Theatre Box Office at 561-243-7922 x1.

Mihori is a master of Sogetsu Ikebana, a structured study of three-dimensional flower arrangement modernized for today’s style. The traditional Japanese art form combines flowers, branches, grasses and leaves with conventional or unconventional materials. The resulting arrangement expresses the beauty of nature and represents the imagination and creativity of the designer.

During the demonstration, Mihori will create ten Ikebana arrangements before the audience, answering questions and explaining the rich history and cultural significance of Ikebana in Japan and around the world.

“Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement,” said Mihori, who also serves as an instructor at the Boca Raton Museum of Art and lecturer at the Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens. “With roots in the centuries-old philosophy of developing closeness with nature, Ikebana is much more than just floral decoration. The flower arrangement becomes a living entity through which nature and humanity are brought together.”

Mihori has resided in Delray Beach with her family for 60 years. With her husband, James, she serves on the boards of Sister Cities of Delray Beach and Miyazu, Japan as well as the Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens and the Japan America Society.

Born and educated in Tokyo, Mihori graduated from Gakushuin University and has more than 55 years of teaching experience. She studied with the founder of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana, Sofu Teshigahara, and has studied under all the subsequent headmasters, achieving the highest teaching rank of Riji. In 2017, Mihori received the Sogetsu Overseas Grand Prize from Akane Teshigahara, the current headmaster of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana.

Mihori has been honored by the Emperor of Japan for her extraordinary cultural contributions with the “Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays” award, one of the highest ranking civilian honors.

With the goal of strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance and bringing Japanese experiences to the people of Florida, the event is sponsored by the Consulate-General of Japan in Miami, Sogetsu Ikebana Florida, Japan America Society of South Florida, Old School Square, and Sister Cities International. Delray Beach is a sister city of Miyazu, Japan.

For more information, please contact Miwako Patton at culture@mi.mofa.go.jp or Hector Franco at webmaster@mi.mofa.go.jp and visit www.miami.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html.