Kuniko Nakano

Kuniko Nakano has been teaching the Ohara School of Ikebana for over 15 years in Sydney. This includes private lessons and group lessons at the Sydney Chapter of Ohara School. She has been teaching at Sydney Community College since 2006.

She has been a committee member of the Ikebana International Sydney for the last 20 years. Currently, she is the president of the Ohara School of Ikebana Sydney and she also holds the Ohara School of Ikebana Associate First Master Degree.

Her Ikebana involvement is not only with teaching. She also holds demonstrations at numerous events and functions, such as Auburn Cherry Blossom Festival and Cowra Japanese Garden Festival. At these events, she introduces Japanese traditional arrangements and also talks about Ikebana history and philosophy.

In 2016, she received an award from the Japanese Government, Consul General for strengthening and promoting the Japanese - Australian relationship as well as promoting multiculturalism in Sydney and New South Wales.

Her Ikebana teaching style has the following characteristics :

• Easy to understand and to put it into practice; practical;
• Emphasize the importance of the basic form;
• How beauty is communicated differently in Ikebana compared to Western flower arrangements;
• How to incorporate the subtle lines of plants in Ikebana;

She takes great pride in hearing her students enjoy her classes. Many find her classes calming and meditative, too.