WORKSHOPS

The Ikebana workshop, presented by Ayşe Paslı and Pelin Bulut, teaches the Japanese art of flower arrangement. In this art, flowers are arranged in containers such as vases, trays, bowls, or pots. The arrangement emphasizes not only the shape, style, and color of the flowers but also their stems and leaves. Participants will create their own designs using specially prepared flowers and equipment provided for the session.

The miniature art workshop will be led by Taner Alakuş. One of the most notable features of miniature art is the complete and detailed depiction of the intended subject, which is why perspective is not used in miniature art. The term miniature refers generally to finely crafted small-scale paintings and artworks of this style. Participants will complete their workshop by creating a Dragonfly design using special materials provided for the session.

Join Toryo Ito, renowned Zen master, for an insightful Zen meditation session. With years of experience guiding over 150,000 individuals worldwide, Toryo will introduce participants to the practice of Zazen, fostering mindfulness and inner stillness. This event is a unique opportunity to explore Zen philosophy and its practical applications for personal growth and well-being.

The tea ceremony sees the simple task of preparing a drink for a guest elevated to an art form, an intricate series of movements performed in strict order and appreciated by the recipient. The tea ceremony —or, directly translated, the "way of tea"—is in many ways a microcosm of the Japanese traditional sense of omotenashi, which translates as to look after guests wholeheartedly. The tea ceremony is known as chanoyu, or sado, in Japanese, and the art and performance of preparing and presenting matcha powdered green tea is called otemae. Chakai are informal gatherings held to appreciate the ritualized serving of tea, while the more formal occasion is a chaji. An alternative, but less common, version of the ceremony uses tea leaves and is known as senchado.

Takahiro Yagi will be in Nişantaşı Flagship Store to customize the Carpet Kaikados he producer for Les Benjamins to customers who purchase a Kaikado. He will engrave and / or customize the Kaikados .

This workshop, led by Aynur Küçükyalçın, focuses on Sumi-E, a Japanese painting technique that teaches planning with the fewest brushstrokes,concentrating, and achieving results as quickly as possible. It is the foundation of traditional Japanese painting.Participants will complete their Sumi-E pieces using special brushes, paper, and ink prepared for the workshop.

The tea ceremony sees the simple task of preparing a drink for a guest elevated to an art form, an intricate series of movements performed in strict order and appreciated by the recipient. The tea ceremony —or, directly translated, the "way of tea"—is in many ways a microcosm of the Japanese traditional sense of omotenashi, which translates as to look after guests wholeheartedly. The tea ceremony is known as chanoyu, or sado, in Japanese, and the art and performance of preparing and presenting matcha powdered green tea is called otemae. Chakai are informal gatherings held to appreciate the ritualized serving of tea, while the more formal occasion is a chaji. An alternative, but less common, version of the ceremony uses tea leaves and is known as senchado.

This calligraphy art workshop will be conducted by Onur Yıldırımer and Sedat Aktürk. The word "hat" (calligraphy) means line, path, or way, and refers to the art of writing beautifully in accordance with aesthetic rules. Participants will complete the workshop by creating original calligraphic designs using letters, the foundations of calligraphy, with materials provided specifically for the session.

The bonsai workshop, led by Aykut Erşen, is centered around the respect for living trees and the care required to keep these trees alive. Although bonsais are miniature in size, they are no different from the trees we see in nature. By carefully pruning and nurturing selected branches, they are cultivated to take on the appearance of a miniature tree. Participants will prepare and pot their own bonsai trees using specially prepared materials provided for the workshop.

This workshop, presented by Ersin Yıldızhan, is part of traditional Turkish arts. Katı’ is a decorative art form where a design or calligraphic composition is cut from layers of paper or leather. It is created by cutting out the writing or motif on paper or leather using a sharp tool, then either the hollowed-out part or the piece itself is pasted onto another paper, leather, or glass surface. Participants will complete their workshop by creating a cherry blossom design on a special crimson background using materials provided for the workshop.

Buaisou’s special Indigo Dye workshop will be conducted under Kyoko’s guidance.This dyeing process involves using a natural powder derived from indigo with dyes prepared beforehand.Participants will experience the dyeing process firsthand by dyeing Les Benjamins' special design bandanas in this workshop.