Shin, Gyo and So of Shoko

Before we go into the classification of containers, we should first understand the three basic categories within Shoka. Shoka can be broadly classified into shin, gyo, and so styles. Differences among these styles reflect variations in character and natural growing forms among plants, space for displaying the arrangement and variations in the containers as well. (Each of these three styles can be further divided into shin, gyo and so, such as shin of shin, gyo of shin and so of shin, but we will leave that to another post.)

Shin style presents a dignified form with quiet, restrained moment, appropriate for floral material of quiet character and only slight curvature. The branches of shin style are slender and quietly graceful. Relatively straight materials such as young pine branches, narcissus, or early spring rabbit-ear iris are well suited for arranging in shin style.

Gyo style displays more movement than shin on a horizontal basis. The form is more relaxed, and branches extend more freely from left to right and front to rear. Gyo style is appropriate for emphasizing the beauty of materials whose characters and natural growth patterns are more relaxed. The vase should also be in gyo style.

So style displays the most movement and curvature among the three categories. The form is extremely relaxed, and branches extend freely into all dimensions of space. So style is appropriate for emphasizing the distinctive beauty of materials whose characters are unrestrained, wild and free with often unexpected natural growth patterns, such as weeping materials or twining vines. (It would actually be impossible to arrange such materials in shin style.) Often, we can also see cascading arrangements in this category. A so style container is naturally the best to work with so style Shoka. 

Shin Containers

Containers is taller than they are wide, and have a tall, slender shape.

Isshuike Shoka, Ikenobo Naples.

Gyo Containers

Containers with a more relaxed shape, and is about as tall as they are wide. 

Isshuike Shoka, Unknown.

So Containers

Morning Glories in a Hanging Basket, Utagawa Toyohiro 1763-1828, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Ogencho

Ogencho is a bronze container of the Ikenobo school, it can be used for either shin or gyo styles. Traditionally profound and elegantly, the Ogencho was an unique container used at Ikenobo school, it was popularly used dated back to Meiji period, early 20th century. 

Gyo Shoka arrangement on Ogencho, Ikenobo Kyoto.

The standard styles is not to limit the form of arrangements but taught because certain material might lend itself to certain forms (sometimes the character of the material can restrict its use to only a single form). All standard forms in the end are only a framework or a starting point. Ultimately, ikebana is about the expression of the unique beauty of the branches and flowers in our hands, and not rules.