| KOCHI, Apr. 8 – Spring has come, and the Kuki Region in Niyodogawa Town, Kochi Prefecture, is exploding with white, pink, and red colors of hanamomo peach flowers in full bloom. This fairyland scenery was created from one tree planted by one local farmer.
“It’s the best time, and I’m glad you are here at the right time,” said Yuichi Hiura, a 92-year-old farmer who grows Japanese tea leaves locally, while chatting with other visitors. About 50 years ago, Hiura planted the very first Genpei hanamomo peach tree on his tea plantation. After that, he began planting more trees on nearby plantations so that these fields would not be abandoned after their owners quit the production as they got older or faced drops in tea prices. Since then, he has continued to plant hanamomo trees on fallow lands, as many as 100 of them in some years. Then, about 15 years ago, Michihiro Tagen, an 82-year-old Japanese tea grower in Kuki, began planting young hanamomo trees grown by Hiura in his fields. So far, he planted 1,500 peach trees and is proud of having a window view full of hanamomo blossoms today. Hiura and Tagen prune the trees and cut grass in-between farm work. The two farmers manage approximately 2,000 peach trees in the area, which totals 50 acres. The trees have made the region a popular spot that attracts more than 600 visitors on weekends during the best season for the blossoms. “It requires some efforts, but we have so many visitors in spring, and having many people here is the greatest pleasure of mine,” Tagen said. Tea farmers will start cultivating tea leaves when the flowers fall in late April. “Until then, I’d like to enjoy the blossoms for a while,” said Hiura, looking up the trees in full bloom and smiling.  The village is covered with hanamomo peach flowers in full bloom. It took 50 years for the local farmers to create this fantastic scenery. (In Niyodogawa Town, Kochi Prefecture) |