The Chicago Chapter of the Ikenobo Ikebana Society was
founded 57 years ago by Senior Professor Ikka Nakashima, one of the most highly honored ikebana instructors in North America, and is dedicated to Ikenobo flower arts education. After her death in 2015, the chapter leadership passed to Senior Professor Charles Harris. The Chicago Chapter offers Ikenobo ikebana lectures, demonstrations and seminars for groups and individuals throughout the Midwest as well as providing educational support to the Chicago Japanese Culture Center. In conjunction with the Chicago Park District and the Cook County Forest Preserve, the membership mounts an annual public exhibition at Garfield Park Conservatory in the spring and the Chicago Botanic Garden in the fall. Professor Harris maintains a weekly teaching schedule for various levels of experience at two locations in the city. The chapter also hosts an annual local seminar for its membership featuring a Visiting Professor from Ikenobo Headquarters in Kyoto, Japan.