Located a five-minute walk from Meiji Jingu Shrine, "The Little Shop of Flowers" is a hidden gem of a flower shop. Owner Yukari Iki worked in interior design and fashion press before opening a weekend flower shop in Yoyogi-Uehara in 2010 and relocating to this location in 2013. The relaxed atmosphere, gentle light, and greenery make you forget the hustle and bustle around you.
The flowers on display at Little are unique. For this interview, we were given a natural bouquet featuring two blue roses, casually bunched with eucalyptus, alliums, populus, and eryngiums of varying lengths. The vibrant contrast of the flowers against the faded colors, and the red paper wrapping the bouquet, exude a unique flair.
In addition to fresh flowers, Little also offers popular arrangements that mix dried and preserved flowers. In addition to selling bouquets, arrangements, and cut flowers, the store offers a variety of floral arrangements, including decorations for weddings and events, window displays, and regular flower arrangements, proposing new ways to use flowers in various spaces. In addition to flowers, the store also offers small gifts, such as cookies and other foods, to accompany flowers.
When I asked Iki how to preserve carefully arranged flowers, he gave me a surprising answer: "Using boiling water will bring the flowers back to their vibrant state." Wrap the flowers in newspaper, immerse them in a container of boiling water, about 2cm below the stem, for about 10 seconds, then return them to cold water. The flowers will absorb the water rapidly and revive.
Iki believes that "the container is also special for flowers." The store is filled with vases that exude the warmth of various artists. Their active activities, such as the ceramist Adam Silverman's atelier pop-up store in Los Angeles in March 2015, are also noteworthy.
【Shop information】
THE LITTLE SHOP OF FLOWERS
Address: 6-31-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Telephone: 03-5778-3052 / 090-4430-8294
Business hours: 12:00 to 19:00 (11:00 to 19:00 on weekends)
Closed: Thursdays
