Portland Japanese Garden is honored to host a special ikebana demonstration featuring visiting instructors Hoin Horii Setsuho and Hori Yukiho from the Saga Goryu Headquarters in Kyoto, Japan from 1:15-2:15 PM in the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center.
Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, has been translated as “living flowers” or “giving life to flowers.” More than simple decoration, it is a practice of harmonizing nature, intention, and form.
Join us for this rare opportunity to witness the timeless floral expressions of Saga Goryu, brought to life by two master teachers from Kyoto. This demonstration is presented in celebration of the 85th Anniversary of the Saga Goryu North America Chapter, honoring the theme: 紡 – 過去・現在・未来の夢をつむぐ (Tsumugu – Weaving Dreams of Past, Present, and Future.)
About Saga Goryu
Saga Goryu Ikebana traces its roots back over 1,200 years to Emperor Saga and the early Buddhist flower offerings (kuge) at Daikaku-ji Temple, his former imperial villa in Kyoto. These practices—meditative acts of devotion—were not yet ikebana in the artistic sense, but they embodied a core spirit of offering, reverence, and harmony with nature that continues in the school’s philosophy today.
As one of Japan’s oldest ikebana lineages, Saga Goryu continues to express seasonal awareness and natural form while honoring its spiritual and imperial heritage. Its signature arrangement styles—such as Shōgonka, meaning “flower of solemn dignity”—reveal the quiet power and contemplative beauty of this tradition.
Portland Japanese Garden would like to thank James F. and Marion L. The Miller Foundation and Oregon Arts Commission for their support of arts and culture programming.
