| TOKYO, Jun. 29 – Iriya Asagao Matsuri (Morning Glory Festival) will take place for the first time in four years. It’s one of Tokyo’s summer features which had been canceled for the last three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Yoshiyuki Hanya is extremely busy preparing for the flower shipment at his greenhouse in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo.
The 66-year-old flower grower produced 1,500 pots of morning glories this year. He planted seeds in mid-April so that they bloom in mid-June. To ensure the flowers bloom beautifully in June, he’s been watching them very carefully, avoiding their exposure to low temperatures and street lights at night. Hanya’s products are in Andon (a lantern) style, which means arranging four different colors of morning glories in one pot.
“I made 600 pots more than last year. I wish people feel a little cooler when they see Asagao, even on a scorching day,” he said. The Iriya Asagao Matsuri is held each year on 6, 7, and 8 July around the Iriya Kishimojin Temple in Taito Ward, Tokyo. On July 15, Koiwa Asagao Matsuri will also be held in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo.  Hanya preparing his Asagao for shipment (in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo) |