Sogetsu Branch

In May 1984, Master Riji Shuku Ikeda (1934-1995), assisted by a group of professors graduated from the Sogetsu school in Tokyo, founded the Sogetsu Swiss Branch. This association aims to strengthen ties between the ikebanists of the Sogetsu school from all over Switzerland and to allow them to deepen the new technical and artistic directives of the central headquarters. Research work is a priority.

The Sogetsu school (literally "grass and moon") was founded in 1927 by Sofu Teshigahara (1900-1979), an artist open to the modern world, strongly influenced by the opening of Japan to the outside world which had taken place shortly before the restoration Meji in 1868. He brought the Ikebana out of its traditional location: the tokonoma. He used new materials and techniques and claimed that Ikebana can be created anytime and anywhere. Ikebana is made of lines, colours and masses. From these three elements we can vary the arrangements to infinity. For the Sogetsu School, Ikebana is a three-dimensional art that has tamed space. Sofu Teshigahara was recognized as a very great artist and an innovator by his friends such as Picasso, Dali etc… He received many decorations both in Japan and abroad.