Events

                         

Sogetsu San Jose-South Bay Branch Exciting Upcoming Events

2026

July 16-19    Summer Workshop with Kika Shibata in Las Vegas
Dear Branch Members,
We are excited to announce that registration is now open for our Branch Director Kika Shibata’s 2026 Summer Workshops in Las Vegas!
This is a wonderful opportunity to refine your skills and connect with fellow ikebana artists through several days of hands-on instruction.
Workshop Details:
Main Workshop: July 16 – July 18 (Hands-on sessions)
Advanced Session: July 19 (Special session for teachers and advanced students)
Venue: Home 2 Suites by Hilton, Las Vegas, NV
Note: To secure your spot, please submit your registration and payment by July 10, 2026.
See attached file for more info and registration form on page 3, which you can print after you open this link
  Kika Shibata 2026 Summer Workshop 

Past Events

2026

May 16  "Spring into Spring" annual lunch and special demonstration by Kika Shibata Sensei and branch members
April 18.    On April 18, 2026, the Sogetsu San Jose-South Bay Branch celebrated the Sogetsu 100th anniversary with a special Zoom Exhibition. 
The event featured arrangements by Branch Director Kika Shibata, Riji (below), 

and ten branch members with teacher certificates.
We are pleased to share all featured
arrangements  in this link  Zoom exhibition newsletter  and hope to see you at our next event.
March 23, 24  
Our Director Kika Shibata was invited by Ikebana International Naples Florida 
to do demonstration at The Naples Country Club and a workshop for Sogetsu Naples Branch
Below are the photos of the arrangements created by Kika Shibata at the event

            

            

2025

June 7   Sogetsu Ikebana Demonstration and Exhibition at Oriental Art Gallery
Venue: Iwasawa Oriental Art Gallery, Los Gatos, California

2024

September 22
San Jose, Exhibition “Spirit of Japan: Then and Now”
Ikebana Demonstration “Flower Spirit”
Link to Photos

August 1-4
Kika Shibata Sensei Program at the OFAD
Unconventional Sogetsu Expressions
Link to Photos (part 1)
Link to Photos (part 2)

May 4  
First Annual Soiree photos

March 16-17
San Francisco, Kika Shibata Sensei and her Students demonstration
Link to Photos

2023

August 24-27  Summer workshop with Kika Shibata Sensei in Las Vegas, 
See photos from the workshop in the links below
Photos Day 1
Photos Day 2 AM  
Photos Day 2 PM
Photos Day 3 PM
Day 3 PM part 2

June 28 
San Jose Japantown, Flower Jewelry workshop led by Emma "Kishi" Soloveychik
Link to workshop photos

April 23
Ikebana Exhibition 
A festival celebrating Japanese American Culture
Link to Photos

2019

January 19 Sogetsu Branch New Year Luncheon on 19 January at Kubota Restaurant in San Jose Japantown 
to celebrate the New Year by arranging New Year arrangements.
Feb 9-10 Sogetsu Branch Annual Flower Show at Miraido Village Club House San Jose with live demonstration and exhibitions.
Sep 14 Live Demonstration event -  Inspiration from North America Seminar Hawaii in May at Miraido Village Club House San Jose Japantown.

2018

Feb 9-10 Sogetsu Branch Flower Show Workshop at Union Bank San Jose Japantown.
May 12 Branch Workshop using Unconventional materials at Miraido Village Clubhouse, San Jose Japantown.
Nov 10 Branch Event - Holiday Arrangement Demonstration event with live demonstrations on holiday ideas and arrangements.

2017

March 11, 2017: Hanami Lunch at Kubota Restaurant in San Jose Japan Town.
May 17-18, 2017: Textbook 5 Special Training workshops on May 17th and 18th at San Jose Doubletree by Hilton hotel.

2016

Jan 9. New year lunch and celebration of our beloved branch founder Narimatsu sensei's 90th birthday. 
Attandants made simpliflied arrangements to start the new year, and Kiwi De Voy showed us how to make her specialty wiring design.
 Jan 23-24 Sogetsu Annual Flower Show at Milpitas Library
March 13 Sogetsu branch general meeting to introduce new board members for 2016, followed by the demonstrations of one kind of a material arrangements and workshop.
June 12 Sogetsu says I DO! 
Demonstrators: June “Kiranka” Okumoto, Martina “Kiryuku” Roethig, Gloria “Yokusei” Lee, Yali “Kirei” Tseng, Katsuko “Biko” Thielke, Kimi “Kika” Shibata
July 20-24 Director Kika Shibata Summer Shops
August 26 Director Kika Shibata workshop and demo at OFAD annual seminar.

 

 

2015

January  Branch Director Kika Shibata was voted into the Bunka Hall of Fame
as part of the Class of 2014 for outstanding achievements and contributions to Ikebana.
JAANC, also known as Hokka Nichi Bei Kai, is the oldest Japanese American Community organization and it was established in 1895.
April  Sketching Techniques for Ikebana Design Workshop
July Water, Leaves, and Branches Workshop

2014

February:  Director Kika Shibata’s Angel Wings Midolino Workshop Honolulu, HI
Director Kika Shibata and her Sacramento students presented the
Sogetsu “Floral Fantasy” Show to celebrate Kika Shibata’s 50 years of teaching, Sacramento, CA
May 2014: Midolino Basket making workshop led by Kika Shibata, San Jose, CA
October Sogetsu San Jose-South Bay Branch's 25th Anniversary Event, Featuring Guest Master Instructor Tetsunori Kawana, San Jose, CA
December Branch Director Kika Shibata’s 50th Teaching Anniversary Celebration, San Jose, CA

2013

January  Annual New Year’s Lunch, San Jose, CA
March SJSBB using Unconventional Materials, San Jose, CA
April  SJSBB participated in the 9th North American Sogetsu Seminar, Los Angeles, CA
December   Annual “Joy of Ikebana” Flower Show, Milpitas, CA

2012

March  Demonstration by Director Kika Shibata at Ikebana International’s “Wonderful World of Ikebana,” Monterey, CA
October   SJSBB participated in the Triton Museum of Art’s Fall Floral event
to interpret art from Triton’s permanent collection, Santa Clara, CA
November Annual “Joy of Ikebana” Flower Show, Milpitas, CA

2011

October Harmony with Fresh and Unconventional Materials,
Featuring: Shinobu Okazaki Workshops co-sponsored by Sogetsu North America, Saratoga, CA and San Jose, CA