What's ikebana?
While the Western flower arrangement is mainly for decorative purposes, ikebana originates in Kuge (供花 - offering of flowers), one of the Buddhist practices to offer flowers in front of the Budda statue. Don't worry - I am not going to bore you by going into the details of the religious history (if you're interested, though, read the article by Sogetsu School, one of the major schools of ikebana).
My personal experience with ikebana is limited and not so great - I have done it once in high school and it involved sitting on the hard tatami floor for hours, leaving my legs numb. Luckily, you can enjoy ikebana from the comfort of your couch.
What makes these ikebana vases great gifts?
Those vases can make the dining table, office desk, kitchen counter or the bathroom shelf into a small Japanese garden. They are also:
- 🇯🇵 Made in Japan - High quality & sleek design
- 🪷 Flowers are cheap in NL - You can use the vase all year round
- ✅ Compact - Perfect for any size of apartments or houses
Tips
- If it's your first time using kenzan (the round spikey thing), check this YT video about how to use kenzan to arrange flowers.
- Obviously, please keep it out of reach for small children and pets. Kenzan can be dangerous without caution.