The Ohara School was officially founded in 1912 by Unshin OharaThe headmasters that followed:
Unshin Ohara (1861-1916), the founder of the Ohara School of Ikebana, was born in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture.
Unshin explored the fields and mountains and tried to develop a style of ikebana to express the beauty of natural scenery. He also searched for ways to arrange the brightly colorful Western flowers that had just begun to be imported into Japan. The result of his efforts was Moribana, the first brilliant step in modern ikebana. In 1897, the first public exhibition of ikebana in the Moribana Style was held.
Unshin Ohara, an Ikenobo Master in Kobe, created a form of ikebana arranged in a low bowl using some of the shorter stemmed flowers that had been introduced at the beginning of the Meiji era. This style is known as moribana (piled-up flowers). He asked the Ikenobo School to include this design in their curriculum. The school refused, but he was so highly regarded that they gave permission to teach his new form in his own school
Arrangement of Moribana by Unshin Ohara
Moribana, the foundation of the Ohara SchooI, became so popular that by 1915 most of the schools of ikebana had incorporated it into their own curriculum. Its popularity continues today.
Considered the first of the modern schools, the Ohara School reached out to the general public very early in its inception by sharing the art of flower arranging through exhibitions in public places like department stores.
Koun Ohara (1880-1938)
Koun Ohara established clear rules and distinctions for floral styles in Moribana and the tall vase arrangements known as Heika. He introduced methods for instructing large numbers including the arranging of flowers from behind the work, a technique that has influenced most ikebana schools today. He also became known for landscape Moribana, in particular his use of water plants to depict the water’s edge in arrangements.
Houn Ohara (1908-1995)
Third Headmaster Houn Ohara succeeded his father in 1938. Through his various exhibitions he became known for his creativity. In 1964, Houn Ohara created the Rimpa Arrangement. The arrangements are based on the highly decorative works of the Rimpa paintings from the Edo Period. Houn Ohara also ushered in the expansion of the school into an international organization.
Natsuki Ohara (1949-1992)
Natsuki Ohara became Headmaster Designate in 1972. Father and son held many joint exhibitions and during his period as designate Natsuki is credited with the development of the Hanamai or dancing flowers arrangement and the Hana-isho style. Natsuki was posthumously named Fourth Master.
Hiroki Ohara The Fifth Master began his tenure in 2010 and held his first major exhibition in 2012. He has just recently launched a new style called Hana Kanade (performing or playing flowers).
It should be noted that the interim period from 1992 to 2010 was carefully overseen by Wakako Ohara, the Chief Executive.With main offices in Tokyo, Osaka and Kobe, 158 Chapters in Japan as well as 56 Chapters and 34 international Study Groups, the Ohara School is proud of over one million students throughout the world.
Go to: About Ohara Circle
