is a form of ikebana. Written with the same kanji characters, it is also pronounced and known as Shà Âka.
The painter Sà Âami and the art patron and shà Âgun Ashikaga Yoshimasa were supporters of the style as early as the 15th century. It reached its peak of popularity and artistic development in the 18th century and was formalised in the late Edo period.
Works that were published include the Sà Âka Hyakki (æ¿è±ç¾è¦Â), a collection of 100 drawings of shà Âka works by the 40th headmaster Ikenobà  Senjà  (æ± åÂÂå°Âå®Â). Senjà  himself selected these works published in 1820. The original drawings were made by Matsumura Keibun and Yokoyama Seiki, painters of the Shijà  school. The Senshà  Risshà Âkashà « (å°Âæ£ç«ÂçÂÂè¯éÂÂ) is a collection of 100 drawings of rikka and shà Âka works by the 42nd headmaster Ikenobà  Senshà  (æ± åÂÂå°Âæ£). In the West, Japanese flower arrangement (Ike-bana) applied to Western needs is a book written by Mary Averill. It was published in 1913 and gives a description in English of seika, mostly from the Enshà «-ryà « school. In Japan there are currently over 1,200 officially registered different ikebana schools which all practice their own particular kind of Shoka or Seika based on the lead professional running the school.
In Ikenobà  shà Âka, there are two styles: shà Âka shà Âfà «tai with traditional form, and shà Âka shimputai with a more free form. Shà Âka shimputai was introduced by the headmaster Sen'ei Ikenobà  in 1997 as a new style of shà Âka.
In Mishà Â-ryà « the style is called kakubana (æ ¼è±).
The Ko-ryà « Toyokai school has a style of seika inherited from the Edo Period, where plants are arranged with precise angles and proportions.
Seika incorporates many of the structural rules and classical feeling of the ancient rikka of the Ikenobà  school. The concept of shusshà  (åºç inner beauty) of a plant is key in the arrangement and is expressed as the living forms of plants rooted in the soil and growing upward towards the sun. It uses one to three kinds of floral materials, arranged in a single vase.
The set-up is basically triangular, with three main lines: shin the central axis symbolising "truth"; soe the supporting branch, and tai, which are branches placed near the base to balance everything. Shin symbolises heaven (天), soe symbolises human (人), and tai the earth (å°). Together these three elements (天å°人 Tenchijin) represent the human universe. The number of branches should always be an uneven number. The length of each branch is also prescribed.
In some Ikebana schools in Japan when performing Seika the natural characteristics of the plant have to be respected and the arrangement either done in the upright, slanted or hanging form. Also depending on where the plants would grow determines the position of it in the arrangement. So for example plants from mountain regions have to be placed above those from the lower lands. Plants used should also be seasonal to reflect the respective season in which the arrangement is being made.
In other Ikebana schools Seika is a composite that more reflects and emphasizes the design elements using plant materials. This type of Shoka was widespread in Japan in the 19th century and is less popular today.
In ancient times Aspidistra elatior leaves were often the usual tool for beginners to learn the basics of seika as they are easily handled and the side for the sun can be seen clearly. It was not uncommon in the 19th and early 20th century for Ikebana students practicing Seika or Shoka to construct Aspidistra arrangements for a year or more before graduating and being granted a license to arrange other floral materials.