Takako Yokoyama is a tea ceremony and ikebana practitioner. She joined the Omote-Senke tea school and Kōfu-Mishō ikebana school when she was 15 years old in Japan. She received her master certificate from both schools. She has since devoted her time to these traditional arts since her immigration to Canada in 1982. In 2017, she will have celebrated 65 years of continuous involvement in and teaching of the tea ceremony and flower arrangement.
During these years, Yokoyama’s most memorable works include presenting grand-flower arrangements at the 2002 G8 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta in the main meeting room, the lobby, and the Prime Minister’s room to welcome invited world leaders for which she received a ‘Letter of Appreciation’ from then Prime Minister Jean Chretien; decorating the Singer Center with flower arrangement and hosting tea demonstrations at the Calgary Winter Olympics in 1988; producing grand floral arrangements for the Emperor of Japan’s birthday celebration hosted by the Calgary Consulate-General of Japan. Yokoyama has also contributed to many other events at the University of Calgary, Mount Royal University, Calgary Consulate-General of Japan, Glen Bow museum, and the Japanese community centre.
Yokoyama’s current mission is to foster her disciples and build a foundation for promoting the Japanese culture through flower arrangement and tea ceremony for years to come.
