How is Japanese flower arranging different from American styles?
Americans tend to emphasize the quantity [the amount, how many] and colors of the flowers. They pay attention mainly to the beauty of the blossoms, The Japanese emphasize the linear [line] parts of the arrangement and have developed the art to include the vase, stems, leaves, and branches, as well as the flowers. The entire structure of a Japanese flower arrangement is based on three main lines that symbolize heaven, earth, and humankind. C. The History of Flower Arranging [Ikebana] Ancient China influenced Japan strongly in many areas of culture, including Ikebana, “The Way of the Flower”. The early ideas traveled to Japan with Chinese monks, but the formalization of the Art occurred through many generations of devoted Japanese Masters. They developed new forms from basic ideas that had been taught. Schools were set up to pass on the heritage to new generations and these became the workshops where the art of a Japanese style of flower arranging developed. Ikebana is very popular today
