Woodcarving is another traditional Japanese art. Elaborate carvings decorate shrines and temples, and many homes contain trays, graceful kokeshi dolls and charming toys carved from wood. A ceramic bowl made in the Edo Period for use in the tea ceremony. There are many styles of ikebana , with different philosophies behind each. The arrangements follow strict rules for representing heaven, earth, and people.
Some styles are extremely simple.
Others are extravagant. Today, there are over 3,000 ikebana schools in Japan, with more than 15 million students. In ikebana , the way the flowers are arranged has special meaning. Buddhist monks used tea to help them concentrate during meditation. Rituals were developed around the sharing of tea.