IKEBANA
Ikebana, or the art of flower arranging, was developed in the fifteenth century. Ikebana can be grouped into four different styles: rikka (standing flowers); nageire (throwing in); shokai (living flowers); and moribana (heaped flowers).
There are several thousand different schools at present, the top three being Ikenobo, Ohara and Sogetsu. They all have one goal in common: to arrange flowers to represent heaven, earth and humanity. Ikebana displays were originally part of the tea ceremony but now can be found in private homes -- in the tokonoma (display alcove) -- and even in hotels.
Apart from its cultural value, Ikebana is also a lucrative business. Ikebana schools are filled with students, especially eligible young ladies who view proficiency in the art as a means to improve their marriage prospects.
