my story
Hi, I’m Sumi — a Japanese artist and workshop host based in Berlin
I was born and raised in Japan, studied and worked in the USA, and have called Berlin home for more than a decade.
In 2020, after many years in marketing, I felt the need to work with my hands — especially when the pandemic suddenly ended all my projects. That’s when my journey into ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) and shodō (Japanese calligraphy) began.
In searching through the traditions of my family in Japan, I realized these arts were not entirely new to me. I had grown up surrounded by them, yet they had long been forgotten. Reconnecting with ikebana and shodō felt like rediscovering a part of myself.
Since then, I have been practicing whenever I find the time. In ikebana, I first studied under an Ikenobo teacher and now continue learning within the Sogetsu school. In shodō, I have reached Level 4 (準四段) at Nihon Shuji. I am still on the path toward full certification in both disciplines.
Along the way, I have met many people who, like me, are drawn to these arts — seeking a way to slow down, to find beauty, or to express what daily life does not always allow. For me, ikebana is a way to interpret beauty in my own style, while shodō often becomes a quiet escape.
Now, I have decided to create a space here in Berlin where others can experience these traditions — not as distant rituals, but as living practices that connect us to beauty, expression, and stillness.
