Yuri Kageyama | Centuries-old Japanese art of ikebana draws those seeking calm

Ikebana, the Japanese art of arranging flowers, is a form of expression that dates back more than 500 years. It continues to blossom, quietly, not only with traditionalists but also with newcomers who find its blend of creativity and mindfulness to be restorative.

Ikebana can be a bit like solving a puzzle, except there's no fixed answer. Because each flower, and human individual, is different, there are multiple solutions.

"There's a 'detox' purifying factor, and a healing," says Hiroyuki Okada, 40, who began taking lessons in ikebana about seven years ago. He now teaches Ikenobo, the oldest of three major ikebana schools.