| In a private park in Higashi-Kagawa City, Kagawa Prefecture, shibazakura (pink moss or moss phlox in English) flowers are in full bloom on a mound resembling Mt. Fuji. This park, home to approximately 130,000 shibazakura, is the creation of Yoshiaki Morimoto, 71, and his son Kensuke, 40. Yoshiaki, a former chestnut grower, cut the old chestnut trees and planted 14 varieties of shibazakura in pink, white, purple, and more. His son Kensuke, on the other hand, cultivates young moss phlox in his paddy fields.
The father and son created a mound and planted white flowers on top to make it look like Mt. Fuji with snow on top. Along the path are chain ropes for ‘climbers’ and a signboard indicating they are at ‘the 8th station.’ The Morimoto began planting shibazakura in 2006 and expanded the garden since then. The private park is open to the public (an admission fee is required) and attracts many visitors during the high season of shibazakura flowers, which lasts approximately one month.  You can enjoy a view of the Seto Inland Sea from the top of Mt. Shibazakura Fuji “The Happy faces and words of the visitors are the source of energy for me,” said Morimoto very happily. |