RYUSEI-HA is primarily concerned with the revitalization of the original spirit of the RIKKA arrangement. IKEBANA sets our hearts at rest. Our study of IKEBANA is the study of ourselves in nature. When arranging IKEBANA, we can communicate with the living plants.

This school, 110 years old, has an adventurous approach to materials and spirit of innovation. Although students in this school must demonstrate mastery of traditional forms, they also create free style installations that blur the boundaries between flower arrangement and sculpture. Some prefer not to use artificially made containers, but, instead, use natural materials as containers. Processed as well as natural materials are used, but plants are considered to be the core of IKEBANA: "Plants, with their own completed shape, provide the breath of life of ikebana....The basic starting point for IKEBANA is the living plant placed in a water-filled container."

RYUSEI-HA Techniques
RYSEI-HA has designated flower arrangements as either free style, or formative style. Both MORIBANA and NAGEIRE techniques are used. Kaun Yoshimura, the founder of RYUSEI-HA, studied at IKENOBO, but disenchanted with its formality. He then started his own school in 1886.
He encouraged his students to seek out the beauty of the RIKKA and SEIKA IKEBANA styles, and emphasized the form and beauty of the materials used.

His successor, Kakyu Yoshimura, the second headmaster, enhanced the founder's ideas by further developing the traditional forms and laying the ground work for what has become the modern style. Since his time, RYUSEI-HA mainly practices free style IKEBANA arrangements. However, in recognition of the origins of IKEBANA, the students continue to study the originality of the classic styles.
The grandson of the first headmaster, Kasen Yoshimura, became the headmaster in 1944.

	RYUSEI Center 3-1-9 Ichigaya Tamachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0843, Japan Telephone: 03-3268-1241 Website: http://www.ryuseiha.net/
	Kasen Yoshimura, Headmaster