“Never give up. If you believe in your style, do it over and over again and just hope it becomes a success,” says Hans Damen, chief flower designer at Roppongi florist U. Goto.
During a 16 year career, the Dutchman has become renowned for his hybrid of modern European and traditional Japanese flower designs.
Hans’s clients have included visiting celebrities and local VIPs, such as Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo and several of Japan’s prime ministers. He has sold both individual flowers for a modest sum, and decorated entire houses and hotel rooms for up to hundreds of thousands of yen.
But when Hans arrived in Japan, European flower design was only just starting to take root. He joined U. Goto, founded in 1892, company’s first foreign designer. “I had complete freedom,” he recalls. “My boss was really open to new designs and new techniques.”
Yet some things about the Japanese flower industry surprised Hans. “It was like stepping back 10 or 20 years in flower history,” he remembers. Japanese designs were very traditional, unlike more modern styles in Europe at the time. And whereas flowers in Europe were mass-produced, the Japanese flower industry was based on many small growers. “You have a much greater variety of flowers in Japan and it’s spread across the country, from Hokkaido to Okinawa,” says Hans.
Some Japanese flower traditions were a challenge. There were times when, in a particular motif, he wanted to use four flowers, an unlucky number in Japan. And at first there was a little resistance to including fruit or vegetables in arrangements, something quite common now.
U. Goto is particularly busy at holiday times, such as Valentine’s Day and Christmas. “Mother’s day is hell,” he says, laughing. “We get maybe 2,000 orders in a week.” To cater to Japanese tastes Hans often slips peach blossoms and sakura branches into his spring arrangements, albeit with a modern touch. He is also a devotee of ikebana, Japan’s flower arranging philosophy.
Hans commutes nearly two hours each way from Kanagawa Prefecture. He enjoys visiting ikebana exhibitions and is also a fan of taiko drumming.
When at home, however, he makes sure to spend time in his garden. “I like to be outside and just stick my fingers in the soil.”