Moon Viewing

‘Tsukimi’ or moon viewing is celebrated in Japan for the full moon during September. The celebration of the full moon, typically takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Japanese calendar, known as Jugoya – Mid-Autumn. The tradition includes displaying decorations made with Pampas grass (suski) and eating special rice dumplings.

Because it’s mid-spring in Sydney, I used Lemon grass which is in flower and looks quite similar to ‘suski’ at a distance and for the moon, I used the one and only Arum lily from my garden.

While constructing this arrangement I could not help but think about the name of the Ikebana school I study – Sogetsu 草月which means ‘grass moon’. The theme of this arrangement also evokes memories of viewing silk scrolls of displaying swaying suski in front of a full moon.