wild hanaike vol.01

Dates: September 27th & September 28th
Time: 10:30 – 17:00
Instructor: Yuji Ueno (Ikebana Artist / Contemporary Artist)
Capacity: 5 participants per day
Fee: 13,000 yen (includes lunch & tea)
Reservation: please purchase tickets via the Peatix → https://wildhanaike.peatix.com/view

WILD HANAIKE Workshop with Yuji Ueno
Step into the quiet forest of Zao and discover seasonal plants along the way.
Under the guidance of internationally acclaimed Ikebana artist Yuji Ueno, transform the branches and blooms you find into a living arrangement, letting the day, the land, and the season shape your creation.
Savor a vegan & gluten-free lunch by shimauma kitchen, crafted from local, seasonal ingredients.
This 1-day workshop is a unique opportunity to connect with nature, awaken your senses, and nurture your creativity.

Details:

・ 1-day workshop | 5 participants per day
・ Includes vase rental, lunch, and organic herbal tea
・ Wear comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes suitable for forest walks

Reserve your spot via Peatix → https://wildhanaike.peatix.com/view

【Schedule】
10:30 – Meet at shimauma sanctuary
10:30–11:30 – Exploring the forest and collecting plants
12:00–13:00 – Lunch
13:00–16:00 – Hanaike workshop
16:00–17:00 – Reflection & tea time
17:00 – Closing

【What to Bring】
・Flower scissors or pruning shears (if you have them; otherwise provided)
・Smartphone or camera (for photos)
・Vase (provided, but you may bring your own if you wish)

Yuji Ueno (Ikebana Artist / Contemporary Artist)

Yuji Ueno (b. 1967, Kyoto Prefecture) is an Ikebana artist and contemporary artist who approaches flower arrangement as a form of improvised performance art, exploring the intersections of life and death, presence and space. Though born in Kyoto, he spent his teenage years in Kagoshima, the hometown of his parents, and still considers it his spiritual home.

At the age of 19, Yuji Ueno was deeply moved by Hiroshi Teshigahara’s bamboo installation, an experience that drew him into the world of Ikebana. While learning traditional techniques and forms, he was fascinated from the beginning by expressions that went beyond convention, especially ways of rethinking flowers through the lens of contemporary art.

Since then, he has developed his practice across object, installation, and spatial art, constantly questioning both the limitations and the possibilities of Ikebana. In 1999, he focused on the concept of mitate (reinterpretation) in Japanese culture, naming his approach shitsurai (spatial composition). This led to collaborations with craft artists, live performances, and a wide range of spatial works, often in dialogue with other artists.

In August 2011, in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Ueno created and hosted the live event “Hanaike Battle” (2011–2017) as a way of sharing the raw, transformative power of improvisation with society. During this period, he developed his unique “Back to Back” style of performance.

Through exhibitions, performances, stage design, workshops, and educational projects in Japan and abroad, Yuji Ueno continues to deepen Ikebana as an art form, not simply as a traditional practice, but as a profound inquiry into spirit and existence.

His publications include The Art of Ikebana: The Zen Way of Flowers (Tuttle Publishing) and Hanaike no Kankokoro (Seibundo Shinkosha). He has appeared frequently on NHK programs such as Asaichi and Bi no Tsubo. Today, based in Karuizawa, he continues to explore quiet, contemplative work in resonance with nature and in dialogue with his roots.

Instagram: @ug_ueno
HP: ueno-yuji.com