Ikebana in a Gion Machiya
About this experience
Ikebana is not about making flowers look nice. It's about negative space — about what you leave out. I've been practising Ohara school for 35 years and I still find it humbling. You'll work with three or four seasonal stems, a shallow suiban dish, and a kenzan (the metal frog, as we call it). We'll arrange together in the front room of my machiya, then place your piece in the tokonoma alcove and sit with it for a while. You take the arrangement home at the end. What you do with the silence in between is up to you.
Highlights
- Ohara school ikebana — twenty years of practice distilled into a morning
- Seasonal stems chosen at Nishiki Market at dawn
- Arrangement displayed in a century-old machiya tokonoma
- Take your arrangement home
What's included
- All flowers and materials
- Use of Camille's kenzan and suiban set
- Matcha and seasonal wagashi
- Your finished arrangement to take home
- Transport to Gion
Meeting point
Gion Shijo Station (Keihan Line) exit 6, northeast corner
Payment on the day
The insider's fee is paid directly on the day — bring the exact amount.
Meet Camille
Camille
Gion
Speaks English, French, Japanese
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 48h before
Cancel at least 48 hours before the start time for a full refund of the MeetAnInsider intro fee. The insider's fee is paid on the day and is not charged until you meet.
2h 30min
min 1 · max 3
Price shown for 1 person · Up to 3 participants
Pay directly on the day
Charged when the insider confirms