Sogetsu Ikebana to Celebrate 100th Anniversary in 2027: Launching Two-Year Commemorative Projects Upholding the Spirit of First Iemoto Sofu

Sogetsu Ikebana (General Incorporated Foundation Sogetsu-kai, Director and Fourth Iemoto Akane Teshigahara) is pleased to announce its "100th Anniversary Commemorative Projects," which will be progressively rolled out starting April 2026, leading up to its 100th anniversary in 2027. The main visual and message for these projects were created to inherit the spirit of the first Iemoto, Sofu Teshigahara, into the modern age. In an era of accelerating digitalization and AI evolution, we will continue to promote the potential and value of "ikebana" as an art created by human hands. Moving forward, with this visual as our banner, we will sequentially deploy events at 44 locations nationwide and 120 locations overseas, and in September 2026, we will hold the Kansai Block Exhibition in Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture, among other diverse initiatives in collaboration with regions both domestically and internationally.

【Commemorative Project Main Visual】

"Ikeru. Ikiru."

This is the catchphrase for the 100th anniversary. For Sogetsu, arranging (ikeru) is living (ikiru).

This remains unchanged, from the time of its founding 100 years ago to the present and future, as the era changes at an unprecedented speed.

Regardless of the era, ikebana is "an art created by human hands, reflecting the heart of the arranger." This is our aspiration.

To burn one's heart throughout life. That joy of creation is the ikebana of Sogetsu School.

The characters "Hana" (flower) and "Ikeru. Ikiru." used in the visual are from the calligraphy and handwriting of the first Iemoto, Sofu. The 100th anniversary is a time to return to our origins and embark on a new path. The first Iemoto's passion for ikebana, which is the origin of Sogetsu School, is embedded in this visual.

【Commemorative Project Message】

Calligraphy: Sofu Teshigahara (First Iemoto of Sogetsu School) / Art Director: Hiroaki Nagai (N.G.inc) / Copywriter: Mika Kunii / English Translation: Linda Hoaglund / Coordination: Commons Inc.

【About the Birth of Sogetsu Ikebana】

◆From Form to "Individual Expression"

Ikebana, a traditional Japanese culture with over 500 years of history, had lost its dynamism from its early days and had long been considered something to be arranged "according to form." Sofu Teshigahara, who questioned this convention, founded the Sogetsu School in 1927, seeking free expression that respects "individuality."

While establishing the basics called "Kakeiho" (Form Method) so that anyone could learn, Sofu redefined ikebana as "an art that reflects the heart of the arranger." This free spirit of Sofu spread explosively in the liberating atmosphere after World War II.

◆Journey as an "International Art" Resonating with the World

Sofu actively engaged in overseas activities, holding a solo exhibition in Paris in 1955. He liberated ikebana from the confines of a mere accomplishment, elevating it to an "international artistic expression" that resonated with world masters like Isamu Noguchi.

Since then, Sogetsu Ikebana, which can be arranged "anytime, anywhere, by anyone, using any material," has incorporated new sensibilities while engaging with society. Currently, it has 49 branches in Japan and approximately 120 branches/groups worldwide, developing into a school cherished across borders and cultures.

【Sogetsu School's 100-Year Lineage: Iemotos Who Shaped the Era】

The 100 years of Sogetsu School have consistently challenged the boundaries of ikebana and its era.

First Iemoto: Sofu Teshigahara Second Iemoto: Kasumi Teshigahara Third Iemoto: Hiroshi Teshigahara Fourth Iemoto: Akane Teshigahara

◆First Iemoto: Sofu Teshigahara

He redefined "ikebana as art." After the war, he astonished the world with "objets" using iron and stone, and was called "Picasso of Flowers" by Time magazine, leading the modernization of Japanese culture.

◆Second Iemoto: Kasumi Teshigahara

With delicate and flamboyant forms, she fused "feminine sensibility" and "modernity" into ikebana. She left a significant mark on international goodwill as an "envoy of world peace through flowers," performing demonstrations for state guests in various countries.

◆Third Iemoto: Hiroshi Teshigahara

As a film director, he won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival for "Woman in the Dunes." As a multi-artist who also worked in pottery and stage direction, he evolved ikebana into a "comprehensive art of space."

◆Fourth Iemoto: Akane Teshigahara

Appointed in 2001. While inheriting the innovation built by her predecessors, she continues to deepen the "dialogue between people and flowers" in contemporary society through initiatives like "Ikebana LIVE," which showcases ikebana as a performance, and education for children.

Message from Iemoto Akane Teshigahara: On the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary

Next year will mark 100 years since Sofu Teshigahara put up the sign "Toryu Moribana Instructor, Sogetsu School Iemoto" in Aoyama Takagicho, Tokyo, in the spring of 1927. At first, there were no students, and what supported Sofu, who struggled and immersed himself in ikebana research, was his belief in a newer, freer ikebana. Since then, Sogetsu has changed generations from Sofu to Kasumi, Hiroshi, and Akane, enduring the waves of history, yet facing society and looking towards the world, continuing its journey to this day.