Ikebana's roots date to sixth century Japan, when these beautiful floral arrangements were created as offerings in Buddhist temples. The principle behind these early arrangements was to have the flowers and branches reach toward heaven as symbols of faith, according to the Japanese Life Style website. Ikebana reached a turning point during the 15th century under Yoshimasa, a new ruler who emphasized the value of simplicity, making the art form accessible to people of all classes. The style of ikebana that developed from the 1930s onward differs from classic ikebana in that it is less formal, and more expressive.
Ikebana is considered an art form that aims to achieve more than aesthetic appeal. The living flowers, branches and leaves are arranged in a way intended to bring humans closer to nature. Unlike Western floral arrangements, ikebana arrangements are asymmetrical, which is often the way plants grow in the wild. The three most popular schools of ikebana are ikenobo, ohara and sogetsu.
Ikenobo is the oldest school of ikebana and the origin of the rikka, or upright, style of flower arranging. Classic rikka arrangements involved seven branches that symbolized hills, waterfalls and valleys, according to the Japan Zone website. Gradually, ikenobo became so refined that some arrangements consisted of only three main branches, representing heaven, earth and man. This simpler style is called seika or shoka.
The ohara school of ikebana developed in 19th century Japan. While the ikenobo school mainly used rikka or seika styles of arranging, the ohara school used the moribana style. Moribana literally means "piled up flowers" in Japanese, and consists of flowers in a shallow container. Moribana's horizontal scheme mimics the scenery of the natural landscape, and the arrangements possess volume and depth.
Sogetsu is the most modern school of ikebana, which encourages the use of newer materials such as plastic, plaster and metal. Sogetsu ikebana is not limited by the rigid rules of previous styles of ikebana, which made it an activity only indulged in by the wealthy. Instead, artists are free to determine the unique meaning of each element and arrange an entirely individualistic composition.