Chabana 茶花– Importance of Flower Arrangement (Ikebana) in Japanese Tea Ceremony

Earlier, we talked about a famous Japanese tea master – Sen no Rikyu. One of his most famous sayings is

“Let flowers be as they are in the field (花は野にあるように)."

Why would a tea master talk about flowers and fields? Why is this saying so important and is studied intensely as a foundational principle by Japanese tea ceremony experts? I hope to answer all those questions you might have, as I will discuss the importance of flowers, Ikebana (or Kadou), the Japanese art of flower arrangement, and the...