Bamboo Baskets: Japanese Art & Culture Interwoven With the Beauty of Ikebana

Shows the art & craft of the bamboo basket & its companion arts -- Ikebana (flower arranging) & the tea ceremony. Since World War II, there has been limited access to information about Japanese bamboo baskets. Discusses the Japanese philosophy of art & traces it as related to bamboo as a raw material, to Ikebana, to the tea ceremony, & to the tokonoma, an alcove in traditional Japanese rooms where flower arrangements are displayed. Discusses selection & preparation of raw bamboo; basket styles, shapes & wrapping techniques; & where to obtain fine baskets & how to care for them. Introduction by Marilyn Marinaccio.