Shokunin Store has two different shapes of scissors used for “Ikebana”, traditional Japanese art of flower arrangements. The one with big looped handles (Tsuru-te) is called the “Koryu” style, and the other with curled ends (Warabi-te) is called the “Ikenobo” style.

There are many “schools” of flower arrangements in Japan today. Three most known schools are; Ikenobo, Sogetsu and Ohara with the first one being the oldest. Each has their own philosophy and rules on shapes, lines or angles. Even the tools they use are different. The school of Ikenobo uses the “Ikenobo” style with the big loops, while the other two prefer the “Koryu” style scissors.

For those of you who are wondering, “Warabi” is a bracken fern (its curled head), “Tsuru” is a vine or climbing stem of plants, and “te” is a handle or hand.