About Me
“There's nothing I love more than the sense of fulfillment that my connection with Ikebana brings"
Growing up, I would often watch my mother arranging branches and flowers she’d picked from the garden in our family home. She rarely created showy arrangements with a wide range of materials; instead, she favored simple, clean, and calming designs, carefully selecting a few materials that had caught her eye in that moment. Though she would laugh and say she never had formal training in Ikebana, I was always fascinated by how she could capture the beauty of each individual flower and arrange them in a way that made their beauty shine and be fully appreciated.
“Take a good look at your branches and flowers, and they will tell you how they want to be arranged,” she would say. I remember staring at the branches and flowers, waiting for them to speak to me. Of course, this never happened in a literal sense, but I’ll be forever grateful to my mother for teaching me the importance of capturing nature’s unique beauty by observing it closely—and for giving me the freedom to experiment with the materials to my heart’s content.
I began formally studying Ikebana in 2000 and have had the privilege of learning from multiple Master Instructors across four different countries. I started teaching in 2013 in Hong Kong and have continued to teach since relocating to Melbourne in 2016. As an accredited teacher of The Sogetsu School of Ikebana, I offer both certificate courses and introductory classes. Additionally, I have facilitated Ikebana workshops at various events, including team-building activities, birthday parties, and weddings.
As an Ikebana artist, I have exhibited my work in various cities, including London, Hong Kong, and Melbourne. I have created Ikebana installations for films and commercials, as well as provided arrangements for both corporate and private events. I have been a guest speaker and demonstrator at universities, high schools, and Japanese language schools, promoting the art of Ikebana. Additionally, I create Ikebana arrangements as gifts, which can be tailored to the client’s preferences or offered as “o-ma-ka-se” (my choice).
It is my absolute joy to introduce the beautiful art of Ikebana and to continue educating both others and myself.
Toko Tazawa