Ikenobo - Ikenobo

Ikenobo is the oldest school in the world of flower arrangement. It is no exaggeration to say that it is a school that has existed throughout the history of flower arrangement. Ikenobo was originally the name of one of the monks' quarters of Chohoji Temple. Chohoji Temple is located in Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City, and is said to be one of the temples founded by Prince Shotoku, and is of the Tendai sect. It is said to have begun when a hexagonal hall was built by the pond where Prince Shotoku bathed, a Nyoirin Kannon statue was enshrined, and incense and flowers were offered as a memorial service. Although this legend cannot be trusted as it is, it is certain that the temple was known from long ago, as descriptions of the Rokkakudo appear in works from the Kamakura period such as "Zoku Kojidan" and "Genko Shakusho."Moreover, the Rokkakudo is a sacred place known for its miraculous powers, and is the 18th temple of the Thirty-Three Temples of the Western Provinces.It was loved by the people of the capital and attracted their faith throughout the Kamakura and Muromachi periods.At the beginning of the 15th century, kusemai dances were held here by the Shomonshu from Omi and Kawachi, and people could pay an admission fee to watch them, so it also played the role of an entertainment and cultural center of the time.

There was a monk who lived in Ikenobo at Rokkakudo and was the head priest of Chohoji Temple, Senkei (years of birth and death unknown), and there is a record of him arranging flowers in 1462 (Kansho 3). When the military commander Sasaki Takahide invited Senkei to arrange several dozens of flowers in a golden vase, it is recorded that "enthusiasts from around the capital came and competed to view it," and "everyone was amazed at its beauty," and Senkei was already known as a master of flower arranging at that time. After that, many people came from Ikenobo who were skilled in flower arranging, and this formed the basis for Ikenobo to become a family lineage of flower arranging. In 1599 (Keicho 4), Senkou (the first head priest) held a flower exhibition to commemorate the completion of Daiun-in Temple in Kyoto. Gekkei Shocho of Tofuku-ji Temple wrote a long preface ("Preface to a Hundred Flower Vase," 1600) to include a list of those who participated in the exhibition. In it, he writes, "There is a place called Rokkaku, which is truly hidden within the city. Because of this, a temple was established and called Choho. In fact, in the dry area there is a deep residence called Ikenobo. For generations, they have made it their family business to arrange flowers in vases. The originator of this is Senkei. From Senkei to the current Ikenobo Hoin Senko, there are thirteen petals." The "Ruisei Jusanyo" refers to the 13 members: Senkei, Senno, Senshu, Sensho, Senwa, Sensho, Senzo, Senmei (first), Sensho, Sensei, Senno, Sen'ei, and Senko (first). The 1500s, during the Senno and Sen'ei periods, was a time when Ikenobo flowers dominated the Ami-style flowers of the Shogun's Doboshu and established a monopoly on them, and many oral traditions and written records were written from this time on. Ikenobo flowers matured into the standing flower style from the Momoyama to Edo periods, and Senko (the second generation) was the central figure in this movement. During this period, Ikenobo created gorgeous flower arrangements suited to the Momoyama castle architecture, and in response to the demands of the military commanders of the time. Also, due to the encouragement of the love of flower arrangement by Emperor Gomizunoo (reigned 1611-29), Ikenobo was highly active, with frequent visits to the emperor, head priests, and nobles, organizing events and providing guidance for them.

During the Genroku period (1688-1704), his disciples Daijuin Ishin, Takada Anryubo Shugyoku, Juichiya Taemon, and Fushunken Senkei were all active, and Ikenobo Tachibana became increasingly refined. Books such as "The Complete Tachibana" and "Tachibana Imayosugata" were published, and the basic structure of the style was established, marking the school's greatest period of prosperity. However, after this period, Tachibana became standardized and its development halted, and there were also internal conflicts. As the various Edo Ikebana schools arose, Ikenobo's monopoly on the world of flower arrangement declined. After the second head of Senko, the lineage continued as Senzon - Sen'yo - Senko (3rd head) - Senjun - Sen'i - Senjun (Renin) - Senko - Senjo - Senmei (2nd head) - Sensho - Senkei - Sen'i, and continues to the current head of the school, Sen'ei. In any case, the potential foundation built on the long history of the school continues to this day as the largest organization among the various schools of Ikebana, and especially after the Second World War, the school showed enthusiasm for new research into Ikebana, establishing the Ikenobo Gakuen Junior College in Kyoto in 1952 (Showa 27) and the Ikenobo Gakuen Ochanomizu Gakuin in Ochanomizu, Tokyo in 1960, implementing Ikebana education using a modern system and achieving results, and currently has over 300 branches in Japan and many students overseas.

[Hojo Akinao]

"Oi Minobu and Ogawa Eiichi, 'Ikebana History Essays: Focusing on Ikenobo' (1997, Tokyodo Publishing)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

いけ花界最古の流派。いけ花史とともにある流派といっても過言ではない。池坊はもともと頂法寺(ちょうほうじ)の一僧房の名。頂法寺は京都市中京(なかぎょう)区にあり、聖徳太子創建寺院の一つとされ、宗旨は天台宗。聖徳太子が水浴した池のほとりに六角堂を建て、如意輪(にょいりん)観音を安置し、香花を供えて供養したことに始まるといわれる。この縁起のままを信用できないが、鎌倉時代の『続古事談(ぞくこじだん)』『元亨釈書(げんこうしゃくしょ)』などにも六角堂の記述がみえるところからも、かなり古くから知られた寺であったことは確かで、しかも六角堂は効験あらたかな霊場として、西国(さいごく)三十三所第18番の札所でもあり、鎌倉・室町時代を通じて都の人々に親しまれ、その信仰を集めていた。15世紀の初め近江(おうみ)、河内(かわち)の声聞衆(しょうもんしゅう)によって曲舞(くせまい)が催され、観覧料を払っての見物がここで行われるなど、当時のいわば娯楽文化センターの役割をも果たしていた。

　この六角堂の池坊の住僧で、頂法寺の司僧であった専慶(せんけい)（生没年不詳）がいて、1462年（寛正3）に挿花した記録が伝えられている。武将佐々木高秀が専慶を招いて数十枝の草花を金瓶(きんぺい)に立てさせたところ、「洛中(らくちゅう)の好事(こうず)者、来り競ひ之(これ)を観(み)る」とか、「皆その妙を嘆ずる也(なり)」と記されているように、そのころすでにいけ花の名手として知られていた。その後も池坊からいけ花に堪能の者が次々に出て、池坊がいけ花を家系とする基礎をなした。1599年（慶長4）に専好(せんこう)（初代）が京都大雲院の落慶供養のために催した花展の出瓶(しゅっぺい)者名簿に、東福寺の月渓聖澄(げっけいしょうちょう)が長文の序（『百瓶華序(ひゃくへいかのじょ)』、1600）を書いているが、そのなかに「六角と名づくる所あり、真に市中の隠なり。是(ここ)に由(よ)って寺あり頂法と号す、当(まさ)に其(そ)の乾(いぬい)の方、深居あり、名づけて池坊と曰(い)う、累代、華を瓶の裡(うち)に立つるを以(もっ)て家業と為(な)す。其の元祖を専慶と曰う。専慶より今の池坊専好法印に至る、累(かさねること)十三葉」とある。「累十三葉」というのは「専慶―専能―専秀―専勝―専和―専昭―専増―専明（初代）―専承―専誓―専応(せんのう)―専栄(せんえい)―専好（初代）」の13名である。このなかで専応、専栄の1500年代は、池坊の花が将軍同朋衆(どうぼうしゅう)の阿弥(あみ)系の花を押さえ、独占的な地位を確立した時代で、このころから口伝、伝書も多く著されている。池坊の花が立花(りっか)様式として大成するのは桃山時代から江戸時代にかけてであり、その活動の中心になったのは専好（2代）であった。この時代の池坊は桃山城郭建築にふさわしい豪華な立花形式を生み出し、当時の武将の求めに応じ、また後水尾(ごみずのお)天皇（在位1611～29）の立花愛好奨励もあって、天皇はじめ門跡(もんぜき)、公家(くげ)の間に出入りし、その催しや指導にあたるなど目覚ましい活躍をみせている。

　元禄(げんろく)年間（1688～1704）にはその門下の大住院以信(だいじゅういんいしん)、高田安立坊周玉(あんりつぼうしゅうぎょく)、十一屋太右衛門(じゅういちやたうえもん)、富春軒仙渓(ふしゅんけんせんけい)らが活躍し、池坊立花はますます精美を尽くしたものとなり、『立花大全(りっかだいぜん)』『立花時勢粧(いまようすがた)』といった伝書が刊行され、その基本構成が確立するなど最隆盛期を形成するが、この時期を頂点として、立花は定型化し発展の歩みを止めると同時に、内部紛争もあり、やがて江戸いけ花生花(せいか)諸派がおこるに及んで、いけ花界における池坊独占の地位は後退する。その系譜は専好2代以後、専存―専養―専好（3代）―専純―専意―専純（重任）―専弘―専定―専明（2代）―専正―専啓―専威と続き、現家元の専永に至る。いずれにしてもその長い歴史のうえに築かれた潜在的地盤は、今日もいけ花諸流中最大の組織を維持し、とくに第二次世界大戦後、新しいいけ花の研究にも意欲をみせ、1952年（昭和27）には京都市に池坊学園短期大学を、60年には東京都御茶ノ水に池坊学園お茶の水学院を設立するなど、近代システムによるいけ花教育を実施して成果をあげ、現在国内に300余の支部をもち、海外にも多くの門下生を送っている。

［北條明直］

『大井ミノブ・小川栄一著『いけばな史論考――池坊を中心に』（1997・東京堂出版）』

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