About this Event
Join us for an Ohara Ryu Ikebana workshop! No experience necessary. All levels welcome.
Dates: Saturday 10/31 10:00-11:30am
Discover the elegant Japanese art of flower arrangement (Ikebana) in this immersive 90-minute hands-on workshop. Guided by expert instruction, you will learn the foundational principles of the Ohara School—focusing on seasonal balance, spatial harmony, and sculptural line work.
Seasonal Highlight: Celebrate the rich textures of fall! In this session, we will be incorporating local autumn elements—such as seasonal branches, late-blooming flora, and rich foliage—to capture the quiet beauty of a Midwest autumn in the classic Ohara-ryu style.
No prior experience necessary—all skill levels are welcome!
What’s Included:
- Fresh seasonal floral stems and branch materials tailored for the class.
- Class containers and kenzan (pin frogs) provided for use during instruction.
Live demonstration and personalized, hands-on guidance.
-Flowers are provided by the instructor.
-Containers will provided for the class, but students are encouraged to bring their own!
-Students should bring large waterproof bag to class.
*Minimum 3 students
Yuko Inoue Darcy
Since 2005, Ms. Inoue-Darcy has been teaching Ikebana throughout Chicagoland. She is a member of and an instructor in the Ohara School of Ikebana, both in Japan and in the U.S. Originally from Japan, Ms. Inoue-Darcy practiced Ikebana, Tea Ceremony and Incense Ceremony from a young age. Ms. Inoue-Darcy moved to the U.S. where she received a Master’s degree in Comparative Literature from Washington University in St. Louis, where she was also an instructor of Japanese Language. In 1994, she accepted a teaching position at West Side High School, a public high school in Gary, Indiana, striving to inspire and nurture students with Japanese art, culture and language.
Ms. Inoue-Darcy has traveled to more than 20 countries, exploring her curiosity about each country’s indigenous plants, flowers and arrangement styles.Currently, Ms. Inoue-Darcy is an active Ikebana lecturer, exhibitor, and demonstrator who travels nationally and internationally. She teaches regularly at the Japanese American Service Committee, the Evanston Art Center, the Japanese Culture Center, as well as at her own studio in Lincoln Park. Her principal teachers are the late Hougyoku Hirai, the late Kazuko Ernst, and Houhatsu Takeuchi. Ms. Inoue-Darcy is a President of the Ohara School of Ikebana Chicago Chapter.
Event venue & nearby stays
Japanese Culture Center, 2940 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, United States
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