Flower Entertainment
- 藤川志朗
- May 19
- 4 min read
Updated: May 20
I also worked as a TV scriptwriter.
What is your occupation?
Are you in sales, a nursery teacher, a student, or perhaps you run a household?
When I'm asked that question, I'm always at a loss for words. My job is to draw pictures and sell them, but calling myself a painter sounds too prestigious, and calling myself an illustrator makes me think of someone who draws illustrations for magazines and books.
To begin with, I wasn't originally an artist. I liked writing, and in my 20s I wrote scripts. I also worked as a scriptwriter for a TV station, but I was interested in theater, so I gathered actors and performed my scripts as a director. At that time, I liked edgy French and Italian films. I had no interest in Hollywood at all.
However, when I got married, I gave up acting altogether and became a businessman. I think it's the same in any job, but having meetings with lots of people, flattering clients, laughing at your boss's lame puns, and listening to your subordinates' complaints can really tire your brain. When that happens, you don't want to strain your brain by watching some complicated arthouse film on Sunday. If you're going to watch something, it's better to watch something that makes you laugh out loud and gets you excited without having to think about anything. That's when I first realized how amazing Hollywood is. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages and genders, from elementary school students to adults and the elderly, without having to think about anything. It can refresh your tired nerves at school or work. It's really difficult to create that kind of entertainment, and I thought it was the kind of content the world needs. I also did it at home.
After that I changed jobs to working on producing a flower magazine, then quit ten years later to become a writer. As I began drawing illustrations to accompany my articles, before I knew it, drawing had become my job.
I got some candy
Due to the nature of my job, I have the opportunity to visit gardens around the country, paint pictures, and exhibit my work. There are many places in the world that display gardens with plants. There are Japanese gardens, some that are arrangements of English gardens, and some that have roses from all over the world and throughout history. They are all wonderful, but there are some that you can't enjoy unless you are knowledgeable about plants and gardens (although those who are knowledgeable can have a lot of fun).
When I look at the garden at Serakogen Farm, I think, "It's entertainment that anyone can enjoy!" In fact, the visitors to the garden are a diverse group, from families with small children to young couples and groups of elderly people.
It's very clear that they are enjoying themselves. Last year and this year, I made four giant coloring books at Serakogen Farm. Because I made them inside the garden, I could hear the customers talking about their impressions of the garden over my shoulder from morning to evening. I was surprised that they were all voices expressing their excitement at the scenery and their delight at the flowers. Flowers are completely boring for people who aren't interested in them, so I thought there would be some negative comments at times, but that wasn't the case. On the contrary, some people talked to me happily, and some even gave me snacks (laughs). They must have felt very good.
Certainly, colorful tulips, lively sunflowers even in the middle of summer, and gorgeous English roses even with just one plant... If such flowers were to bloom as far as the eye could see, it would be fun. It would also help you forget about your daily worries and work stress.
That's what singers are for.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we often heard the words "non-essential" and "essential workers." Certainly, doctors, nurses, and other workers who work in infrastructure are important (two of my cousins are nurses). So are other jobs "unnecessary" and not essential?
Whether we are in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic or not, as long as people go about their daily lives, they will inevitably experience stress. As long as people spend time with others, there will surely be happy times, sad times, and regretful times.
At times like these, we need someone to help us forget about the daily grind, to let out our feelings, and to empathize with our emotions. That is why singers sing, novelists write, and artists paint.
Similarly, in the garden, we plant flowers, take care of them so that they bloom beautifully, and wait for people to come. I don't know what you're struggling with right now, or what emotions you're feeling. But whatever it is, Serakogen Farm is probably a good place to get free from it for a while. Even if you're not like that, if you know someone like that, this is the place I want you to bring them to.
This is a place where anyone can enjoy floral entertainment. It's a place where you can feel "wow!" with your whole body and your whole heart, without having to think about complicated things. You can also enjoy an extraordinary time all day long. If one place is not enough, you can try flower fields in another area. If the current situation is not enough, you can try other seasons.
Shiro Fujikawa
An illustrator living in Hokkaido who draws flowers.
His books include "Watercolor Paintings of Small Flowers" (Seibundo Shinkosha).
Illustrations for "Natural Gardening" by Paul Smither (Shufunotomosha), information board for the National Takino Suzuran Hillside Park, the logo for Fukuoka City Hanabatake Horticultural Park, and the logo for Serakagen Farm's "Flower Forest."
Exhibitions are held throughout the country, including at Keisei Rose Garden, Yokohama English Garden, Hana Garden, Iwamizawa Rose Garden, Keihan Engei, and Nerima Ward Shikinoka Rose Garden.
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