On April 16th we will have the privilege of hosting an Ikebana demonstration with Judith Hata. Hata has been teaching ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arranging, in the New York area for over 60 years. She holds the rank of Riji, the highest teacher’s degree in the Sogetsu School, having learned her art directly under Sofu Teshigahara, founder of the Sogetsu School, and then under his daughter and successor, Kasumi Teshigahara. The inspiration for Sogetsu is to “enjoy ikebana anytime, anywhere, using any material” and through her journey, she has discovered 花ありて友あり – ”where there are flowers, there are friends”.
Mrs. Hata founded the New York Branch of Sogetsu in 1971 and continued as its director for 20 years. She served as president of Ikebana International New York Chapter (IINY) for multiple terms and otherwise held active board positions for over 50 consecutive years. Since then, she has been appointed IINY’s Advisor Emeritus. Mrs. Hata had the honor to serve on the Board of Directors of the Horticultural Society of New York and the Committee for the New York Flower Shows, and through the years taught from upstate New York to Philadelphia and points in between including at the Parsons School of Design, The Brooklyn Botanical Garden, The New York Botanical Garden, and The Nippon Club among many others.
Wasetsu is Mrs. Hata’s “flower” name and Wasetsu students can be found far beyond the New York metropolitan area. She has taught and demonstrated all around the U.S. and abroad. Her numerous recognitions include a 2014 Consul General of Japan’s Commendation and 2017 Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays. *
Registration link coming soon
*Presented on behalf of the Emperor of Japan for outstanding contribution to Japan-US cultural relations through teaching ikebana