Showing Water

When you see water at a creek in the forest, how do you feel? Listening to the sound of water flowing and seeing reflections of trees in the sunlight... you would be really relaxed.

When you see an ikebana with a shallow vase, you will see some “empty space” on the surface of the vase. To be honest, it’s not empty, there is water but no flower or foliage, so you feel water as an empty space.

Actually water allows for  the contrast of arranged plants and “empty space”.  That’s why plants can stand out. It’s one of ikebana special  elements.