Hana-Awase: Ikebana Battle with Canapes & Drinks

Celebrate the Arrival of Spring with Five Ikebana Masters from Kyoto

An evening of rare beauty awaits at the magnificent Beleura House.

Step into the timeless elegance of Beleura House for an unforgettable evening of flowers, artistry, and friendly competition.

The highlight of the evening is the Ikebana Battle, where two teams of five accomplished ikebana artists will create floral works live before the audience. Once the arrangements are complete, guests will cast their votes to determine the winning team. One team will feature artists from the Japan Ikebana Therapy Association, while the opposing team will be led by Shoso Shimbo and Shoan Lo, together with their collaborators.

Before the battle begins, guests will enjoy a welcoming hour of drinks and canapés in the Pavilion, including:

Three savoury canapés
Champagne
Red and white wine
Soft drinks

Set within one of Victoria’s most beautiful historic estates, this unique event offers an engaging blend of artistic excellence, creativity, and audience participation in a refined and lively atmosphere. Witness the creative process unfold, support your favourite team, and experience the excitement of ikebana in a truly memorable setting.

At the Melbourne Ikebana Festival 2024, the Ikebana performance at Beleura (Oshun Tsukagoshi - Headmaster of Ikebana Shofu, Japan) and the Ikebana Battle were the two most popular events. In 2026, you can experience both highlights in one unforgettable evening.

Historically, Hana-Awase is a game that became popular among the aristocrats during the Heian period. Participants would choose a seasonal flower, compose a waka (Japanese poem) to accompany it, and then gather in two groups, competing to determine the elegance and excellence of their creations.

Outline

Our Hana-Awase is a mindfulness practice, letting us be “present” in the moment, aiming to bring the flowers to life. Each artist is focused on what is emerging in front of them. Without any previous planning, each team of five ikebana artists will make an ikebana work collectively, like a relay.

Process

The first artist creates a basic framework in 8 minutes. Then, each artist adds their contribution to the existing work using one or two types of material within 8 minutes. 

Inspiration flows from one member to the next, with each member of the group building on the ideas of the previous artist. Immersing themselves in the flow of ikebana and music, each artist focuses on letting each flower live and allowing the whole work to emerge naturally and instinctively.

Finally, the works of the two teams are assessed by the audience in terms of how harmonious the ikebana arrangement connected with the music.

Artists

Our special guests from Kyoto, Japan, Dr Eiko Hamasaki and her team will join this performance. 

Dr Eiko Hamasaki: Senior Artistic Officer, Honnoji School of Ikebana
Founder of Ikebana Therapy
President, Flower Psychology Association
Vice Representative, Japan Society of Ikebana Therapy
Ph.D. in Social Innovation, Doshisha University

Eiko Hamasaki began studying Ikebana in the Honnoji School at the age of eighteen and became a certified Master Instructor at the age of twenty-three. She currently serves as a Senior Artistic Officer of the Honnoji School of Ikebana, contributing to both the preservation and contemporary development of this traditional Japanese art form.

She has exhibited extensively in Japan and internationally, including participation in the Japan Ikebana Art Exhibition. Rooted in the techniques and philosophy of traditional Ikebana, her work explores new possibilities for the art form in contemporary society.

Since 2018, she has planned, produced, and designed “Ikebana Kaido,” a community-based public art project that transforms historic districts in Kyoto into spaces for artistic expression through flowers. She also creates collaborative Ikebana installations in cultural and public venues, engaging participants of all ages—from children to older adults—in shared creative experiences that foster social inclusion and community connection.

As the founder of Ikebana Therapy, she has developed an innovative approach that integrates the art of Ikebana with psychological support and community development. Through her research, education, and international activities, she promotes new possibilities for Ikebana as a bridge between traditional culture and contemporary social challenges.

Her work demonstrates how Ikebana can serve not only as a traditional art form, but also as a powerful medium for creativity, well-being, and human connection across generations and communities.

Dr Shoso Shimbo is an ikebana artist, award-winning sculptor, garden designer, and Shinto priest active in both the contemporary art and floral design worlds. His numerous accolades include a Gold Award at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.

Dr Shimbo frequently collaborates with local and international musicians, including Paul Grabowsky and the Gregorian Brothers, presenting live installation performances at the Melbourne Recital Centre and internationally in Vietnam. In 2023, he was invited to participate in the National Gallery of Victoria’s (NGV) Bloom event. His floral art is regularly featured in International Floral Art by Stichting Kunstboek (Belgium).

As a leading figure in the community, Dr Shimbo is the CEO of the biennial Melbourne Ikebana Festival. He also founded Ikebana Dojo, an online learning platform, and the Ikebana Gallery Award, the world's first online international ikebana competition.

His sculptural work has been exhibited in major national contemporary art events and in 2017, he was awarded the Arnold Bloch Leiber Prize at the Yering Station Sculpture Exhibition. He was commissioned to create a public art installation for the Archibald Prize Exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, and after the bushfires in 2016, he created the Wye River Project as part of Lorne Sculpture.

A prolific researcher, he regularly contributes to the International Journal of Ikebana Studies. His recent academic work includes the chapter “Environmental Art: Ikebana Meets Contemporary Art,” published in Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Issues, Concerns and Prospects (Springer, 2026).

Shoan Lo  made history as the first person to win First Prize in the Botanical Moment Floral Design Competition at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show for two consecutive years. Widely regarded as one of the show's most prestigious floral design competitions, this remarkable achievement marks a historic milestone in the event's history.

i花合せ

１組５人の華道家たちがリレー形式で大きな合作を作ります。完成後、観客が２組のどちらがすぐれていたかを決定するゲーム感覚の新しい生け花パフォーマンスです。

手順は、まず最初の華道家が約８分で枝物で作品の骨格を作ります。２、３、４、５番目の華道家も順に約８分づつ、それぞれ別の花材を担当して、前の方が作った作品に付け加えていきます。

参加する華道家は事前にどのような作品にするかという相談はしません。自分の目の前にあるできかけの作品を変えることなく、自分の花材を付け加えて作品を練り上げていくのです。前の方々が積み重ね、眼前に存在する作品とBGMだけがインスピレーションを与えてくれます。眼前の作品に全身全霊で集中し、制作していきます。その過程はマインドフルネスという瞑想体験にも似た過程となります。

生け花では人と自然が一体となる創造の過程が大切です。そこに生まれる調和、生命感を分かち合い、再生のエネルギーとするものです。

観客による審査は作品の優劣を競うという体裁を取ってはいますが、本当の狙いは観客が人と自然との調和を制作過程から感じ取られたかという点に注意をむけていただくためのものです。審査をすることになるということで、観客も一層熱心にパフォーマンスに見入ってくださることでしょう。

なお、このパフォーマンスのための花材はメルボルン生け花フェスティバルが手配します。参加希望の華道家は必要な道具のみご自分で準備してください。

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