Shoso Shimbo
Shoso Shimbo is recognized internationally for his floral artistry. As an educator and VP of the International Society of Ikebana Research, he explores Ikebana's cultural impact.
Ikebana Artist | Sculptor | Garden Designer | Shinto Priest | Translator
Dr. Shoso Shimbo is a certified Ikebana teacher with over 30 years of experience. An active figure in both the floral design and contemporary art worlds, he was named one of Australia’s Top Floral Designers by Belle magazine and has received numerous accolades, including the Gold Award at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show.
His floral works have been featured in several editions of International Floral Art (2014/15, 2016/17, 2021/22) published by Stichting Kunstboek (Belgium), a leading international platform for floral design.
As a sculptor, Shoso's work has been exhibited in major contemporary art events, including:
Toyota Sculpture Exhibition
Lorne Sculpture
Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award Finalists Exhibition
New Wave Art Festival at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV)
In 2017, he was awarded the Arnold Bloch Leiber Prize at the Yering Station Sculpture Exhibition. His notable commissions include:
A public art installation for the Archibald Prize Exhibition (Art Gallery of Ballarat, 2015)
The Wye River Project as part of Lorne Sculpture (2016)
A metal sculpture commission for Le Pine Funerals, Kew East (2020)
Shoso holds an MA in Japanese Studies, a Master of Fine Art, and a PhD in Education. He is also a qualified Japanese garden designer (certified by the Japan Horticultural Society) and taught Japanese Aesthetics at RMIT Short Courses until 2019.
He currently serves as:
Vice President, International Society of Ikebana Research (ISIR)
CEO, Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival – where he collaborated with renowned composer Paul Grabowsky for an ikebana performance at the Melbourne Recital Centre
Shoso is also the founder of:
Ikebana Dojo – an online learning platform for Ikebana
Ikebana Gallery Award – the first online international Ikebana competition
A prolific writer, he regularly contributes to the International Journal of Ikebana Studies. His recent academic publication includes:
“Relative Positions of Freestyle Ikebana Movement in the Field of Ikebana Before and After WWII,” Traditional Culture (Kyoto University of Arts Publishing)
Additional Qualifications:
Certified Shinto Priest (Chokkai officially approved by Jinja Honcho – Kyoto Kokugakuin)
NAATI-Certified Translator (English to Japanese)
