Haruko Takeichi was born in Japan. Sensei moved to the United States in 1968. She began her study of Sogetsu Ikebana in 1980 with Shunyo Okinaka. Upon receiving her teaching qualifications in 1989, she began teaching in Santa Ana, Irvine, Torrance, and Los Angeles. She holds the Sogetsu highest rank of “Riji” and has received the Special Overseas Award from Sogetsu Headquarters. During the Sogetsu School’s 90th Anniversary Celebration in 2017, she received the Special Award for “Eiyo Sho “ from Iemoto Akane Tashigahara for her long dedication and contribution to Japanese Cultural Art in Southern California.

Haruko sensei is an interior designer with a Bachelor of Interior Design from Woodbury University. She has worked as an interior designer for banks, offices, restaurants and retail stores. In addition to teaching, she installs weekly ikebana arrangements in a hotel in Malibu.

Sensei is an active member of Ikebana International L. A. Chapter, Sogetsu Los Angeles Branch, and President of the Ikebana Teachers Association of Southern California.

For more information and examples of Haruko sensei’s beautiful and creative ikebana, here is her website: www.Haruko-ikebana.com and

Instagram: harukotakeichi