This book is a collection of photographs and written records documenting Yohaku’s four-year journey in Vietnam. At the heart of this journey was the house at 93 Pho Hue Street in Hanoi, a space that came to life for no more than seven days each month, welcoming students to practice the Japanese arts of Ikebana and tea ceremony.
From the earliest days of the classes until their relocation to a new space, the author accompanied the community and recorded its moments through photography. Each lesson, each encounter, every floral arrangement, and every bowl of tea became an expression of the spirit of ichigo ichie (一期一会) – the appreciation of each meeting as a once-in-a-lifetime moment that can never be repeated.
Structured in two chapters, “Silence” and “Sound,” the book guides readers through different emotional dimensions of the Yohaku space. “Silence” explores moments of stillness, where the beauty of flowers, tea, and human presence is experienced through quiet contemplation. “Sound” captures the resonances of memory – conversations, laughter, and the bonds that were nurtured over time.
More than a photo book or a commemorative archive, this work tells the story of a small community that came together to learn, practice, and preserve the aesthetic and spiritual values of Japanese culture in the heart of Hanoi.
The book was presented and exhibited as part of the Ikebana exhibition “East Wind” (Gió Đông), organized by Yohaku in Hanoi in March 2026, as a tribute to the people, encounters, and memories that shaped this remarkable journey.
Text & Layout
Tran Hieu Anh Nguyen
Photo
Tran Hieu Anh Nguyen
Time
2022 – 2025