Doesn't placing flowers in a room make you feel rich?
Located in Goban-cho, Kasaoka City, Florist Man is a flower shop rooted in the community. When I visited, children were happily choosing flowers with their mothers.
Welcoming me was the flower art director Yoshiyuki Manki.
You may have seen Mr. Manki's work at least once.
This is because he has been involved in creating the so-called "Medalist Bouquets" for international figure skating competitions for many years.
When I asked Mr. Manki, "Please let me capture that appearance on camera..."
He appeared in a jacket made of moss, a flower tie, and a moss hat.
He made a unique appearance!
Mr. Manki creates many such unique works.
Let's introduce Florist Man and flower art director Yoshiyuki Manki, who works with the theme of "making people laugh with plants."
The information provided is from an article published in December 2021. Please note that it may differ from current information.
A Flower Shop Rooted in the Community: Florist Man
The history of Florist Man dates back to Mr. Manki's great-grandmother's generation.
Originally, they sold sugar, but when sugar rations disappeared due to the war, they started a flower shop with the thought, "Let's start something new."
At the time of its founding, the shop was located in a different area of Kasaoka City, but by the time Mr. Manki became aware of his surroundings, the shop was already in Goban-cho.
This shop has been around for about 45 years as of 2021.
The store is filled with a colorful array of fresh flowers, houseplants, preserved flowers, and fragrant flowers made of soap.
Fresh Flower Arrangements and Bouquets
Arrangements and bouquets are made after listening to requests and budgets for each order to maintain freshness.
Reservations can also be made by phone.
About 90% of customers prefer to leave the flower selection to the shop without any specific requests.
Since Mr. Manki, who creates the medalist bouquets for figure skaters, mainly handles the arrangements, he can accommodate a wide range of requests.
Preserved Flowers and Fragrance Flowers
Preserved flowers are flowers that have undergone special processing to maintain their beauty for a significantly longer period than fresh flowers.
Gaining popularity as an alternative to preserved flowers are fragrance flowers.
They look like real flowers, but they are artificial flowers made of soap that emit a pleasant fragrance when placed in a room.
Although they are made of soap, they are not meant for cleaning, so they are not suitable for use during bath time.
Both preserved flowers and fragrance flowers can be displayed for a long time in a room and make perfect gifts.
Additionally, they also offer a higher-grade artificial flower called "photocatalytic flowers."
Photocatalytic flowers are artificial flowers coated with photocatalytic titanium oxide spray.
The photocatalytic reaction occurs due to ultraviolet rays from sunlight or fluorescent lights, helping to eliminate odors and keep the room filled with clean air.
Houseplants and Dried Flowers
Additionally, houseplants and dried flowers are also available.
Having greenery in a room is soothing, isn't it? You might feel affection every time you water them.
While a life with flowers is desirable, if you find maintenance difficult, dried flowers might be an easier option to incorporate.
Your room will become vibrant, and your heart will feel fulfilled.
Unique Works by Flower Art Director Yoshiyuki Manki
Yoshiyuki Manki from Florist Man is a flower art director who creates numerous unique works.
Here are some of his works.
Figure Skating Bouquets
Since 1998, Mr. Manki has been creating medalist bouquets for international figure skating competitions up to the present day in 2021.
The shop is adorned with many photos of famous athletes.
He has created many original bouquets, including fan-shaped bouquets, cake-shaped bouquets, and hina doll-shaped bouquets.
The fan-shaped bouquet makes you want to wave it, and the cake-shaped bouquet makes you want to take a bite.
He is conscious of the reactions of the athletes when creating these bouquets.
When the athletes perform something when they receive the bouquets, the audience is happy too. Laughter spreads!
Secret Flower Garden
The toilet made of flowers is called the "Secret Flower Garden."
He also has a pun here, saying, "I tried making it in the toilet."
Post in Front of Kasaoka Station
Have you ever seen a post decorated with flowers when using Kasaoka Station?
That post was also created by Mr. Manki.
From 2015 for two years, he expressed spring with poppies, summer with sunflowers, autumn with gerberas for Halloween, and winter with red roses for Christmas.
Poppies and sunflowers are familiar sights in the flower fields of Kasaoka Bay Farm Roadside Station.
Gerbera, belonging to the daisy family, was chosen because Kasaoka is known for its chrysanthemums. Additionally, there are many rose producers in Kasaoka.
The vibrant post overflowing with love for Kasaoka has become a popular photo spot.
Not Just Flowers, But Art with Moss
Art is being created not only with flowers but also with moss.
Completed in 2012, there is a car covered in moss called the "Eh! Moss Car." The name is a play on "eco car" and "moss."
"It runs on photosynthesis" is one of the jokes (in reality, it runs on gasoline).
In 2013, Mr. Manki held the "Laughing Moss Exhibition" in Fukuyama City.
A chicken made of moss is called "Moss Kokkō."
Exhibits like "Moss Tissue" have become popular for their puns.
Moss jackets and ties (Moss-tie) are also Mr. Manki's trademarks.
When I expressed concern that "it must be difficult to maintain since it's made of moss," he replied, "That's right! I take care of it with a spray bottle, so it's quite heavy... just kidding! In reality, it's fake!"
Exhibition at Florist Man
In 2019, Florist Man held "ZOO ZOO TOWN ~ A Small Flower Shop Zoo ~."
Animals like giraffes, elephants, and cats were created with flowers, attracting a wide range of viewers from children to the elderly.
This also features clever puns.
In 2020, in collaboration with the Kasaoka City hat manufacturer "Ishida Hat Manufacturing," they held an exhibition called "Is it Art with Flowers and Hats?" where flowers adorned straw hats.
For 500 yen, visitors can wear unique hats and enjoy taking photos.
The proceeds were used to donate masks, which were precious at the time, to support medical professionals.
What thoughts inspired such original creative ideas?
I spoke with flower art director Yoshiyuki Manki.
Florist Man Information
| Name | Florist Man |
|---|---|
| Address | 5-96 Goban-cho, Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 0865-63-5757 |
| Parking | Available 4 cars |
| Business Hours | 9:30 AM - 7:00 PM |
| Regular Holidays | Irregular holidays |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Website | Florist Man |
What do you want to know about Kurashiki?
By entering words, you can search articles from this site
Feel free to consult about any creative arrangements or bouquets!