Using colorful illustrations this multicultural children's book introduces readers to Japanese Ikebana.

Ikebana, the ancient Japanese art of flower arranging, has never been easier—or more fun! This colorful, easy–to–follow guide will walk you through the steps of 10 different ikebana projects. Before you know it you'll be creating your very own unique and beautiful flower arrangements. Creating flower arrangements is a great way to explore this time-honored Japanese art form.

Following the step–by–step instructions, you'll learn to arrange how to create:Kenzan Moribana—a basic style using a low, open containerNageire Ikebana—formal arrangements that balance length and weightSuiban (Water Platter) Ikebana—the earliest form of Ikebana, using a shallow platter filled with waterNatural Style Ikebana—arrangements that imitate natureOnce you've created your own arrangements, you can display them or give them as gifts, sharing a part of nature—and your creativity—with the people around you.

About the Series:
The Asian Arts & Crafts for Creative Kids series is the first series, aimed at readers ages 7-12, that provides a fun and educational introduction to Asian culture and art. Through hands on projects readers will explore each art—engaging in activities to gain a better understanding of each form.

Keiko's unique approach to ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, combines traditional techniques with modern tastes. Her influences—which range from sculpture to today's Western floral design—come together to create one-of-a-kind arrangements that are authentic and eye-catching, simple and graceful, and possible for anyone to achieve.

This book presents step-by-step instructions for creating 20 stunning ikebana arrangements in a range of sizes and styles. Each of the flower arrangements can be completed in just three simple steps and uses easy-to-find floral materials and containers. The book also includes an introduction to the history of ikebana as it relates to Japan and Japanese culture, as well as a guide to the basic rules of ikebana design and floral techniques. Suggestions for finding and choosing materials and supplies make it easy to to learn how to arrange flowers and gain a hands-on appreciation of the art of Japanese flower arranging.

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

The true meaning of Ikebana—the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement—is to take a few beautiful flowers and plants and tastefully present them in very simple containers to enhance home decor. The 53 elegant arrangements featured in Japanese Ikebana for Every Season are perfect for special occasions—Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, birthday, anniversary—or any event that calls for a flower bouquet.

The key to good Ikebana arrangements is to understand a few very simple principles—like the idea of mitate, seeing old things with new eyes—and to learn a few easy techniques to stabilize and support plants inside a vase or container. Using common flowers and plants from the garden, a nearby field or forest, or the local florist, anyone can easily create these lovely Ikebana in just a few minutes.

Authors Rie Imai and Yuji Ueno explain how to select flowers and containers from things that are already around—and then turn them into something special. The basic instructions in the book cover a wide range of styles that encourage readers to use their own creativity rather than copying traditional and highly technical Ikebana design concepts.

No matter what time of year it is and regardless of your taste or budget—the arrangements in this book will lend a touch of Japanese elegance to your home.

There is something of the artist in each of us. Some of us find expression in painting, poetry, or sculpture, some in landscape gardening. With talent and facility, expression in these art forms is Satisfying. And this is true also of flower arranging, an ancient art that can express a thought or mood and in a sense combine the expression of severnl other media. Yet special talent for flower arranging is not essential. The 'feeling' for it is engendered by the practice of it!' With these words Ellen Gordon Allen begins the introduction to her eminently practical primer of Japanese flower arrangement, which is here being offered in a new revised edition. As a certified teacher (Oharn school)
and a very successful one, Mrs. Allen is well qualified to present her subject.
The purpose of her book is fourfold: to increase the skill of all who love to arrange flowers to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the Japanese art of flower arrangement; to help students when no teacher is available; and
to provide a medium of instruction among the many, often confusing, schools of Japoncse flower arrangement. It is Mrs. Allen's hope that the primer will serve as a practical handbook for beginners and that it will dispel the aura of
mystery that seems to surround the subject. To this end, she has made her instructions as elementary as possible. The few fundamental rules of Japanese flower arrangement and the various techniques are presented in a simple manner.
Wherever possible, English equivalents have been substituted for Japanese terms. Each lesson sketches, photographs, and diagrams which clearly show the student what to do in working toward completion of the arrangement. Although Mrs. Allen teaches principally the methods of the Ohara school for the moribana and heika styles and the methods of the Saga school for the seika style, her book is also a compilation of information from the Sogetsu, the Ikenobo, the Sho-fu·ryu, and other famous schools in Japan. She has selected what she considers most practical for use in the American or other foreign setting. By using the slep-by-step methods outlined in the 14 well-organized lessons, the Rowerarrangement
student will not only be able to learn rapidly but will also experience the pleasure of making genuine progress in an art that provides an endless source of enjoyment. And, as Mrs. A1len expresses it, "it is the enjoyment of making flower arrangements that I want particularly to stress. Learn the fundamentals
and you will enjoy their application, sharing your pleasure with others who will marvel at your skill in arranging flowers."

Explore one of Japan's most beautiful traditions while entertaining your family and friends!

Tea Ceremony: Explore the unique Japanese tradition of sharing tea is an exciting and fun way to introduce Asian culture to kids. Readers will learn all the steps for performing a Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony.

With this book kids will be able to: Perform the Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony at home through easy-to-follow instructions Explore all the elements of an authentic Japanese tea ceremony, including the tea utensils such as the scoop, whisk, bowl, and fukasa (silk cloth used for cleaning utensils) Know the proper technique for whipping tea, and the different kinds of tea usedThe Asian Arts & Crafts for Creative Kids series is the first series, aimed at readers ages 7-12, that provides a fun and educational introduction to Asian culture and art. Through hands-on projects readers will explore each art—engaging in activities to gain a better understanding of each form.

In this beautiful and extraordinary zen calligraphy book, Shozo Sato, an internationally recognized master of traditional Zen arts, teaches the art of Japanese calligraphy through the power and wisdom of Zen poetry.

Single-line Zen Buddhist koan aphorisms, or zengo, are one of the most common subjects for the traditional Japanese brush calligraphy known as shodo. Regarded as one of the key disciplines in fostering the focused, meditative state of mind so essential to Zen, shodo calligraphy is practiced regularly by all students of Zen Buddhism in Japan. After providing a brief history of Japanese calligraphy and its close relationship with the teachings of Zen Buddhism, Sato explains the basic supplies and fundamental brushstroke skills that you'll need. He goes on to present thirty zengo, each featuring:
An example by a skilled Zen monk or master calligrapherAn explanation of the individual characters and the Zen koan as a wholeStep-by-step instructions on how to paint the phrase in a number of styles (Kaisho, Gyosho, Sosho)A stunning volume on the intersection of Japanese aesthetics and Zen Buddhist thought, Shodo: The Quiet Art of Japanese Zen Calligraphy guides beginning and advanced students alike to a deeper understanding of the unique brush painting art form of shodo calligraphy.

Shodo calligraphy topics include: The Art of Kanji The Four Treasures of Shodo Ideogram Zengo Students of Shodo

In this Japanese ink painting book renowned Japanese master Shozo Sato offers his own personal teaching on the beautiful art of sumi-e painting.

Sumi-e: The Art of Japanese Ink Painting provides step-by-step, photo-by-photo instructions to guide learners in the correct form, motions and techniques of Japanese sumi-e painting.

Featuring gorgeous images and practical advice, it includes guided instructions for 35 different paintings. From waterfalls to bamboo, learners paint their way to understanding sumi-e—a style of painting that is characteristically Asian and has been practiced for well over 1,000 years. Although it's sometimes confused with calligraphy, as the tools used are the same, sumi-e instead tries to capture the essence of an object or scene in the fewest possible strokes.

This all-in-one resource also provides a timeline of brush painting history, a glossary of terms, a guide to sources and an index—making it a tool to use and treasure, for amateurs and professionals alike. This sumi-e introduction is ideal for anyone with a love of Japanese art or the desire to learn to paint in a classic Asian style.

Learn all about bonsai tree design and care with this comprehensive Japanese bonsai gardening book.

Japanese miniature landscapes and, particularly, dwarf trees-"bonsai," as they are frequently called even in the West-have long been admired throughout the world. It may come as a surprise to inexperienced gardeners but the creation and care of bonsai is a comparatively simple art which can actually be systematically taught rather than, as in earlier books on the subject, just talked about vaguely. Now, given a reasonably green thumb and a modicum of patience, anyone in any country can create his own bonsai.

The Japanese art of Miniature Trees and Landscapes contains detailed instructions, together with many helpful diagrams and charts and a treasury of photographs, on every phase of the art: propagation and training, with hints for those in a hurry and for small-apartment dwellers; daily and seasonal care, and treatment of pests; how to judge, select, and exhibit bonsai, with emphasis always upon the untold enjoyment they can provide. Included also, for those who want still more detailed information, are invaluable appendices concerning tools and equipment, soil analyses, and precise data on the more than three hundred species of plants used in making bonsai.

The Japanese Art of Stone Appreciation is an exploration into the art of suiseki—small, naturally formed stones selected for their shape, balance, simplicity and tranquility.

Written by two leading experts in the field of Japanese gardening and art, this concise introduction offers aesthetic guidance and direct practical advice that is a window into traditional Japanese culture. It details the essential characteristics of a high-quality suiseki, describing the various systems of stone classification in this Japanese art form and explaining how to display a suiseki to its best advantage. There is also a section on incorporating suiseki alongside a bonsai tree, the most popular and rewarding complement to peaceful suiseki miniature landscape gardens.

Sections include:Historical BackgroundCharacteristics and Aesthetic QualitiesClassification of SuisekiDisplaying a StoneSuiseki with Bonsai and Other Related ArtsCollecting SuisekiHow to Make a Carved Wooden BaseSuiseki Classification Systems

In this beautiful and extraordinary zen calligraphy book, Shozo Sato, an internationally recognized master of traditional Zen arts, teaches the art of Japanese calligraphy through the power and wisdom of Zen poetry.

Single-line Zen Buddhist koan aphorisms, or zengo, are one of the most common subjects for the traditional Japanese brush calligraphy known as shodo. Regarded as one of the key disciplines in fostering the focused, meditative state of mind so essential to Zen, shodo calligraphy is practiced regularly by all students of Zen Buddhism in Japan. After providing a brief history of Japanese calligraphy and its close relationship with the teachings of Zen Buddhism, Sato explains the basic supplies and fundamental brushstroke skills that you'll need. He goes on to present thirty zengo, each featuring:
An example by a skilled Zen monk or master calligrapherAn explanation of the individual characters and the Zen koan as a wholeStep-by-step instructions on how to paint the phrase in a number of styles (Kaisho, Gyosho, Sosho)A stunning volume on the intersection of Japanese aesthetics and Zen Buddhist thought, Shodo: The Quiet Art of Japanese Zen Calligraphy guides beginning and advanced students alike to a deeper understanding of the unique brush painting art form of shodo calligraphy.

Shodo calligraphy topics include: The Art of Kanji The Four Treasures of Shodo Ideogram Zengo Students of Shodo

Explore one of Japan's most beautiful traditions while entertaining your family and friends!

Tea Ceremony: Explore the unique Japanese tradition of sharing tea is an exciting and fun way to introduce Asian culture to kids. Readers will learn all the steps for performing a Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony.

With this book kids will be able to: Perform the Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony at home through easy-to-follow instructions Explore all the elements of an authentic Japanese tea ceremony, including the tea utensils such as the scoop, whisk, bowl, and fukasa (silk cloth used for cleaning utensils) Know the proper technique for whipping tea, and the different kinds of tea usedThe Asian Arts & Crafts for Creative Kids series is the first series, aimed at readers ages 7-12, that provides a fun and educational introduction to Asian culture and art. Through hands-on projects readers will explore each art—engaging in activities to gain a better understanding of each form.

In this Japanese ink painting book renowned Japanese master Shozo Sato offers his own personal teaching on the beautiful art of sumi-e painting.

Sumi-e: The Art of Japanese Ink Painting provides step-by-step, photo-by-photo instructions to guide learners in the correct form, motions and techniques of Japanese sumi-e painting.

Featuring gorgeous images and practical advice, it includes guided instructions for 35 different paintings. From waterfalls to bamboo, learners paint their way to understanding sumi-e—a style of painting that is characteristically Asian and has been practiced for well over 1,000 years. Although it's sometimes confused with calligraphy, as the tools used are the same, sumi-e instead tries to capture the essence of an object or scene in the fewest possible strokes.

This all-in-one resource also provides a timeline of brush painting history, a glossary of terms, a guide to sources and an index—making it a tool to use and treasure, for amateurs and professionals alike. This sumi-e introduction is ideal for anyone with a love of Japanese art or the desire to learn to paint in a classic Asian style.

Using colorful illustrations this multicultural children's book introduces readers to Japanese Ikebana.

Ikebana, the ancient Japanese art of flower arranging, has never been easier—or more fun! This colorful, easy–to–follow guide will walk you through the steps of 10 different ikebana projects. Before you know it you'll be creating your very own unique and beautiful flower arrangements. Creating flower arrangements is a great way to explore this time-honored Japanese art form.

Following the step–by–step instructions, you'll learn to arrange how to create:Kenzan Moribana—a basic style using a low, open containerNageire Ikebana—formal arrangements that balance length and weightSuiban (Water Platter) Ikebana—the earliest form of Ikebana, using a shallow platter filled with waterNatural Style Ikebana—arrangements that imitate natureOnce you've created your own arrangements, you can display them or give them as gifts, sharing a part of nature—and your creativity—with the people around you.

About the Series:
The Asian Arts & Crafts for Creative Kids series is the first series, aimed at readers ages 7-12, that provides a fun and educational introduction to Asian culture and art. Through hands on projects readers will explore each art—engaging in activities to gain a better understanding of each form.