Wisteria trees reach their peak from late April to early May each year. We spoke with Konami Tsukamoto, the head of Hamamatsu Flower Park, to learn more about what makes these flowers so special…

This article was written in 2019.

Chairman Ms. Tsukamoto looks at the wisteria flowers and says, “They’re so cute!”

interview

—The wisteria trellis of “Nodanaga Fuji” was declared to be in bloom on April 17th, but how are the wisteria flowers compared to previous years?

Since the end of March, the temperature has continued to be low, which has lengthened the flowering season for cherry blossoms and other flowers, but wisteria flowers are blooming at the same level as usual or just a little earlier.

I think the best time to see them will be around Golden Week.

— Speaking of wisteria flowers, they are synonymous with President Ms. Tsukamoto, but could you tell us about the appeal of wisteria flowers that goes beyond simply being “beautiful and impressive!”?

First of all, it’s the vitality and scent. A single trunk can cover an area of ​​100 to 200 square meters, and some trees, like the wisteria at Ashikaga Flower Park, can cover an area of ​​1,000 square meters and bloom tens of thousands of flowers. I love its wonderful vitality and the scent when it blooms. While walking through the dozens of meters of wisteria trellis, we hope you will experience a fantastical world filled with beautiful scenery and pleasant scents.

— When I looked at the wisteria trees at Hamamatsu Flower Park, I got the impression that their trunks were rather thin despite the fact that they bloomed with such impressive flowers.

Hamamatsu wisteria is only 15 to 20 years old. It’s been 6 years since I planted it. Therefore, compared to wisteria planted in other areas, it is a newcomer. It will continue to grow over the years, so you should be able to enjoy it for a long time. Of course, as long as I grow the wisteria, I strive every day to show everyone the beautiful wisteria flowers as soon as possible. Even now, the 15m wide long wisteria trellis has grown to a total length of 80m, and the white wisteria trellis has grown to a total length of 75m with a width of 10m. There is also a variety called YaekokuRyu wisteria, and many customers who see this say, “Wow, it looks like grapes!” It produces large, fluffy deep purple flowers. There is also pink wisteria, and this year it will be lit up at night from late April to early May. We believe that you will be able to enjoy a different charm of the wisteria trellis, which increases in volume every year, after dark.

—While there are a lot of production techniques such as projection mapping in modern times, I feel that Hamamatsu Flower Park’s flower production has the advantage of not being too flamboyant. I feel like that’s where the chairman’s aesthetic sense lies.

This is my own “pursuit of beauty” and I want to pursue beauty through the production of plants and flowers. In my opinion, “beauty” is subtraction. After eliminating waste to the utmost, I think about combining the colors of the flowers. Rather than simply keeping things simple, we choose fresh flowers such as wisteria and Otemari, or wisteria and iris, depending on the season, and then casually combine other flowers next to the wisteria to create a beautiful effect. Last week, a customer said, “It looks great, it looks great” (lol). As I was thinking about the times we live in, I kept repeating the words, so I think we were able to convey our desire to convey emotion no matter what scenery we choose. I would like to create more beautiful landscapes where flowers complement each other.

—When I talked to the director, I sensed his extraordinary passion for flowers, but do you have any plans for future productions?

After all, I continue to be particular about making people feel “impressed.” There are still many things I want to accomplish, such as how many unexpected scenes I can create. Although it has not been completed this year, there is a place that customers can still see as a wisteria tunnel, but in the future it will become a “wisteria rainbow”. I’m thinking of creating a rainbow using the colors of wisteria flowers, such as purple, white, and pink. From now on, I want to continue creating scenery that can’t be found anywhere else in the world, and that will make you wonder, “What is this?” In Ashikaga, we made a big screen out of white wisteria, and it was beautiful. I would like to continue to evolve and realize various performances at Hamamatsu Flower Park.

Even though I’m retiring soon, I’m saying that… (lol)

–That’s a bit of a problem (lol)! No, but such ideas, or perhaps you could call them desires, are always born.

Hmm, yes. After all, I’m always thinking about it. I want to make my customers happy, and I want them to smile and say, “Wow, you’re beautiful!” I guess he has that kind of tenacity more than anyone else.

I asked a customer the other day which direction did you come from? When I asked him, he was from Minamisoma, Fukushima. The person said, “I haven’t been able to see cherry blossoms for six years since the earthquake.” I’m sure that during the cherry blossom season, I was reminded of painful memories. However, since last year, six years later, he started wanting to see the cherry blossoms again, and this year he took a tour of the Amamatsu Flower Park. The person said, “The cherry blossoms and tulips are so beautiful, and I’m so glad we came! We’ll come again!” “Looking at the cherry blossoms and tulips gives us strength, and we’re thinking of trying our best again. ” he said. Each person has different feelings when they come to see flowers. When I hear people say, “I feel better” or “I’m impressed,” it makes me want to surprise them even more. I’m an idiot… (lol) I’m really grateful for this, and in a sense it’s a happy job.

–This may sound rude, but when you learn about the story behind the establishment of Ashikaga Flower Park, you can’t help but feel that the chairman has a strong core, which is at odds with the gentle atmosphere I met with her. yeah! (lol)

(lol). It’s just a belief. It was said that it would be impossible to move that Ashikaga wisteria. But once you decide, you can do it. Work hard to get it done. I think that equals passion.

Also, work is about results, so if you can’t get results, you shouldn’t accept it. I have also done a lot of tree treatment, but there were some things I didn’t understand. When that happens, I rekindle my passion and try to do it the next time. I continue to take on challenges with the idea of ​​“fulfilling my beliefs with passion.” Also, if you communicate this, people around you will help you. Flower Park has also received many donations, including wheelchairs and strollers. When we receive such help from everyone, we feel the need to return the favor with beautiful flowers. That’s just it.

—I was moved not only by the charm of wisteria flowers, but also by the passion that drives the Hamamatsu/Lake Hamana region. Thank you very much for today.

Thank you very much.