What is Ikebana?

Ikebana is the art of Japanese flower arranging and has been practiced in Japan for 100 years. Unlike western style flower arranging, the main consideration of ikebana is to use as few stems and leaves as possible, so that the beauty of each flower is highlighted in the space around it. There should be harmony between the flower, containers and the surroundings, and to learn the techniques for positioning and fastening the flowers correctly requires 3-5 years study.