The White Tulip That Shaped My Life

Flowers have always been a familiar presence in my life. My family ran a flower business (Takenaka Teien Ryokka Co., Ltd.), so flowers were always around. However, it wasn’t until much later, around the age of 20, that I started working with flowers myself. The turning point was when I received a bouquet of flowers for the first time in my life at a welcome party for a part-time job I started during my student days. It was a simple bouquet of white tulips wrapped in jute, and I was deeply moved. The simplicity of the bouquet and the act of giving flowers as a gift seemed incredibly cool to me, and that’s when I decided to pursue this as a career. To be honest, part of me didn’t want to go through the job hunting process, but once I started working with flowers, I realized that expressing myself through them suited me perfectly, and I was completely captivated. Even now, rather than consciously designing arrangements, my hands seem to move naturally, almost instinctively.

I began my career as a flower designer in New York in 2009. Having visited the city several times as a student, I grew fond of its atmosphere and decided to move there. I had been studying English on my own since middle school—I was somewhat of an English geek. One of my relatives married an American man and once came to visit us, but I couldn’t speak a word with him, which frustrated me. That pushed me to study intensively, watching foreign films repeatedly while covering the subtitles.

A Craftsman’s Spirit: Still Personally Watering the Plants

In New York, I feel that work progresses with a greater emphasis on personal connections compared to Japan. Currently, I’m responsible for decorating the lobby of the Baccarat Hotel & Residences New York, a luxury hotel formed through a partnership between Baccarat, famous for its crystal glass, and the Starwood Group. This opportunity also stemmed from a personal connection.

In 2009, I handled the decoration for the “Season Opening Night Gala Concert” at Carnegie Hall, a prestigious venue in the music world. Through an introduction from Carnegie Hall, I took on a decoration project for a hotel. Later, the person in charge at that hotel moved to the Baccarat Hotel, and apparently, they liked my style enough to reach out to me. Although another flower designer had almost been selected, they decided to hold a presentation at the Baccarat Hotel before its opening to make the final decision. The three finalists, including myself, were asked to actually arrange flowers in the lobby.

The presentation period lasted two weeks, with each of us taking turns to showcase our work. I’m not good at speaking or sales, but I have a craftsman’s spirit, so to speak. Even after arranging the flowers, I visited the hotel nearly every day for those two weeks, checking and maintaining the arrangements. Eventually, they told me, “No one else goes to such lengths,” and I was chosen for the job. To me, I was just doing what felt natural. But I was happy that my dedication and passion for the flowers were recognized. Even now, with more work on my plate, I often go to personally maintain or water the arrangements. I just can’t rest easy if I don’t do it myself. It’s all about the daily accumulation of these efforts.

A Heart of “Wa” Supporting My Success in New York

It’s been nearly 10 years since I started working in New York. One failure I can never forget, even if I wanted to, happened at a wedding in 2016. The bouquet I created apparently didn’t match the bride’s image, and she yelled at me in front of everyone, saying, “What is this!” Although I had gone above and beyond the budget to deliver, she was furious, and I was on the verge of tears. It was the day of the wedding, after all. In the end, I used all the backup flowers I had and did everything I could to make things right, and somehow, I managed to satisfy her in the end. I’ll never forget that experience.

But through experiences like that, I feel like my dreams are gradually coming true, one by one. I also feel that my once small dreams are slowly growing bigger. I want to expand to other states in the U.S. and even work on major events like the Grammy Awards. However, with only one body to work with, figuring out how to achieve these dreams is my next challenge.

If I had to describe the style of flowers I arrange, it would be simple yet luxurious. It might seem contradictory, but balancing these two elements is probably what defines my style. And then there’s the heart of “Wa” (Japanese spirit). I want to approach both my clients and the flowers with sincerity and genuine care. That’s why I always face the flowers directly when arranging them—I never work at an angle.

I guess I have a craftsman’s spirit, and I’m quite competitive, too. I don’t show it much, but I never want to lose to anyone. I believe it’s that strong determination that has brought me to where I am today.

September 2017 at NOIR hanna International (NYC).Translated by ILI Inc.