Hana wo Tateru Toshiro Kawase

*Available only in Europe

“I approached this book as my final testament to this country.” — A monumental masterpiece by the peerless flower artist Toshiro Kawase, a culmination of 15 years of profound dedication. This work stands as a singular response to the fundamental questions: What is a flower? What is Japan?

The journey began with Kawase’s lifelong desire to confront tatehana, the origin of Ikebana. Positioned on the delicate boundary between religion and the performing arts, tatehana risks losing its essence when reduced to mere formal art. Seeking the "flower beyond art"—one that connects to the very origins of life—Kawase found that the only way to manifest such a form was to embody the act of "standing a flower" himself.

This volume is a significantly expanded and revised edition of his long-running series in Geijutsu Shincho. It is a 15-year trajectory of trial, error, and ultimate bliss—a definitive record of a life lived through the spirit of flowers.