Ikebana -- September 10, 2013

After the intense heat of this summer, we finally

have a cool season. Ikebana class starts with autumnal

flowers such as susuki ( Japanese pampas grass),

waremoko (burnet), kikyo ( balloon flower), sekkayanagi

( Japanese fantail willow). 

It’s also nice to have a talk  and laughter telling interesting

topics and news during summer holidays.

Sumie -- June 18, 2013

Five ladies met for sumie on a sunny day in rainy season.

They painted sunflowers under the instructions of the teacher.

They found it quite difficult to paint sunflowers.

Our next lesson will be in September after the long summer break.

As this is the last lesson for 2 couples, we had a kind of review

of their favorites according to the requests. They prepared and

cooked so skillfully. Sensei added new typical Japanese every

day side dish using sesame.

We had nice time and quite happy to introduce Japanese cooking.

Wish them enjoy Japanese cooking wherever they may go.

 

Ikebana -- June 11, 2013

Today, we had the last lesson before summer holidays.

Besides ikebana with usual vases, ladies enjoyed it
with a tiny container.

Please have a look. After finishing her stage, a lady

challenged her test and succeeded. Congratulations!

 

Sumie -- June 7, 2013

One group had the last sumie lesson before leaving Japan.
Today's theme was Mt. Fuji. Mt Fuji they painted were all different;
one was modern with strong brush stroke, one was elegant with delicate
touch of brush. Have a look at the photos below. They have really made
progress.

Sumie -- May 21, 2013

Seven ladies including one newcomer joined today's sumie lesson.
They chose one photo from a photo collection of Mt. Fuji given
by the teacher. They learned a new technique of drawing a
mountain and finally Mt. Fuji was beautifully drawn as shown
in the photo below.

Ikebana -- May 14, 2013

Our teacher prepared two different sets of flowers.

Both included lovely peony and vivid bupleurum,
but with rush and branches of golden bell flowers
made different impressions.

Sumie -- April 19, 2013

The theme today is bamboo.

After some practice for making gradation with sumi ink,
they drew vivid bamboo trees on a long paper and shikishi
hard paper. Aren't they lovely?

Sumie -- April 16, 2013

One of the elegant flowers bloom in spring is wisteria.

But Finnish people say they have never seen these

beautiful flowers. Looking at the image on the ipad,

they challenged to draw wisterias. They really did a

good job!

Cooking -- April 12, 2013

Japanese always keep in mind the use of seasonal ingredients

when cooking. Bamboo shoots, bonito, strawberries were used

today. Typical spring dish is bonito sashimi slightly broiled.

We also made salad with bamboo shoots, asparagus, beans, etc.

Everyone tried making gyoza and had a lot of fun.

Ikebana -- April 9, 2013

3 ladies joined today's ikebana arranging flowers in

a sidling style. Enkianthus (doudann tsutsuji) is used as
a main for making lines and iris as a sub for making
ponts. Making lines with enkianthus is hard as it is still young
and the branches are thin. But its tiny leaves reflects coming
fresh green season.

 

 

Sumie -- March 27, 2013

Theme today is of course "sakura".

After 2 hours concentration, 6 lovely works of sakura
shikishi are in full bloom.

 

Sumie -- March 16, 2013

It was the second lesson of sumie.

Practicing to draw several circles, they challenged to draw
eggplant and cucumber. They did very well.

 

Cooking -- March 15, 2013

We had two visitors from Finland. Six people enjoyed today's cooking.

Everyone worked hard to make seven dishes., which were grilled salmon

with sweet miso on top, cooked rice with vegetables and chicken, egg

custard 'chawanmushi', rape blossom salad, scallop dish, cabbage and

cucumber salad, and sweet potato dessert. It was really a fun cooking!

 

 

Ikebana -- March 13, 2013

It was warm but quite windy day.

Five ladies attended the class.
They arranged sakura, snapdragon and freesia in a vase.
It was hard to chop off the lovely little pale pink sakura flowers.

 

 

Sumie -- February 23, 2013

We had a sumie lesson for a Finnish family for the first time.

After drawing circles many times, they challenged to draw grapes.
Using nice gradation of black and white lovely pieces of work were
made. Please have a look at the photo here.

 

Sumie -- February 20, 2013

Five ladies met for the fifth lesson of sumie.

The teacher brought some daffodils. She gave them

some instruction how to paint flowers and leaves.

Some said the leaves were more difficult than flowers.

Each work was different and lovely. They surely got better.

 

 

February 13, 2013

Flowers today were kodemari, iris and marigold.

Each ikebana has its own artistic taste and they all were
attractive.

 

Ikebana -- January 29, 2013

We had the first Ikebana lesson in 2013 with four

including a new member. Flowers today give a glimps
of spring. Making a curve with slender branches seems
difficult but fun.

Sumie lesson -- January 23, 2013

We met for sumie lesson today. Six ladies joined us.

They have got now their own sumie set. They painted　
camelia flowers. big and small.