"I never thought in my life that I would be able to use lotus leaves in America." – Kamo-sensei
Just past dawn on a summer day at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park (ORWRP) staff stood in the dew-bespeckled grass and waited to greet Kamo-sensei. An esteemed assistant professor in the Ohara Council of Professors at the Ohara School of Ikebana, Kamo-sensei is a master of ikebana, which is the sacred art of Japanese flower arrangement.
"My involvement with flowers began when I worked part-time at a flower shop during my university days," Kamo-sensei explained. "I saw many works at an Ohara school exhibition and was inspired to create such beautiful arrangements myself." Founded in the late 19th century, the Ohara School of Ikebana pioneered a modern iteration of the art form, emphasizing seasonal displays of naturalism and the harmonious integration of materials, setting, and theme.
It was Kamo-sensei’s second time in the United States, a journey during which he hosted prominent ikebana workshops throughout Ohio, and soon he was to perform a live ikebana demonstration that very night at the Yokoso Center in Columbus, Ohio. Yet there he was that early morning, trudging through the dewy grass toward the wetlands, in search of an essential addition for his ikebana event. "One of the Ohara school's methods of expression is the Shakei Moribana Shizen-hon-I (Landscape, Realistic Method). This is a technique for expressing actual scenery in a water basin," revealed Kamo-sensei. “As it is summer, lotus is an important flower material in Shakei Moribana Shizen-hon-I.”
Considered the flower of August in Japan, the lotus is a revered symbol. Together with his colleague, Joe Rotella, the pair inquired at nurseries, koi clubs, and organizations as far as Alabama in their pursuit of the lotus. Their efforts proved fruitless until, on the morning of the ikebana event, they arrived at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park. Accompanied by ORWRP staff, Kamo-sensei was suited in waders and, for the first time in his life, harvested lotus flowers. "Usually, I only see the scenery from land, but when I actually entered a lotus pond, I felt like I was one with the lotus and it was a refreshing feeling."
ORWRP staff Connor Welsh and Ethan Staffiera had the honor of attending the live ikebana demonstration. During the event, Kamo-sensei created a beautiful display using the materials he collected from the wetlands, depicting lilies sprouting from the water, crisscrossed by reeds and cattails, and rising clean above it all: a bright, yellow lotus flower.
"Lotus flowers grow straight out of the muddy pond, and their stems bloom into magnificent flowers at the end. For this reason, the lotus is a symbol of purity and sanctity not only in Buddhism, but also in many other countries and religions," Kamo-sensei shared.
It was the distinct honor to assist Kamo-sensei in his pursuit of the lotus flower. We want to congratulate Kamo-sensei on a successful ikebana demonstration and thank him for including us in the cultural event.
"Ikebana is my life, my reason for living." – Kamo-sensei
Story by fourth-year SENR student Connor Welsh, who is majoring in Natural Resource Management.