COURTESY OF JAPAN NEWS-YOMIURI
Bright spider lilies line an embankment in Asahi, Toyama Prefecture.
TOYAMA, Japan >> In the small, decaying town of Asahi, a man has been planting scenic flowers for two decades, hoping to attract visitors.
This spring, when cherry trees, tulips and mustard plants bloomed at the same time, the city of about 10,000 more people welcomed about 90,000 visitors for more than two weeks. Today, in autumn, bright red lilies cover an embankment.
Hisao Yamazaki, 81, the only farmer growing tulips in Asahi, is heartbroken by the town’s decline. The population of the city where he was born and grew up fell from a peak of about 25,000 to less than 16,000 in 2000. So he made the decision to create a landscape that can only be enjoyed in Asahi, hoping that it will “bring as much life as possible” to the city.
About 20 years ago, Yamazaki first planted tulip bulbs in a box near the bank of a river that runs through the city, so that they would bloom at the same time as the cherry trees planted on the bank. Then, in 2008, he planted mustard seeds. The following spring, the earth was glowing pink, red, and yellow.
The three floral colors and the whiteness of the snow-covered northern Japanese Alps in the background created a good-looking scene and went viral on social media as the “haru no shijyuso” (“spring quartet”).
To expand its flower displays, Yamazaki planted 30,000 spider lily bulbs three years ago along a bank more than a third of a mile long, so visitors can also enjoy the flowers in the fall. They are part of the city’s seasonal charms.
This year, he grew sunflowers on a 3. 7-acre box thanks to grants from the city. The sunflowers peaked in mid-September and many visitors came to take pictures.
Atsushi Yoneda, a staff member at the Asahi Tourism Association, said he was grateful to Yamazaki for his efforts to revive the city. The new interest in Asahi “is due to Yamazaki’s passion. We can’t thank him enough,” he said.
“I need the position where I was born and raised to be as beautiful as possible,” Yamazaki said. “It’s very rewarding. “
Have comments? Learn more here.
Click here for our full information on the coronavirus outbreak. Submit your coronavirus news.
Scroll to top