【Branch Material Book Publication】
SiKiTO's first book! A book broadly introducing the charm of branch materials will be published.

What is the appeal of "branch arrangements"?

The greatest appeal of "branch arrangements," in my opinion, is how beautifully they reflect the changing seasons in Japan.

In spring, buds swell on the branches, eventually bursting into bloom. In summer, the new green leaves deepen in color as the temperature rises, and as autumn approaches, the fruits brightly ripen, and the leaves turn yellow and crimson. And even in the cold, the evergreen leaves that don't fall herald the arrival of winter.

This is a unique charm of branch arrangements that cut flowers and houseplants do not possess.

By decorating with branch arrangements in the homes of modern people, many of whom have fewer opportunities to go out than before due to the spread of remote work, a seasonal landscape is created within the home, even without visiting nature-filled mountains and fields.

Encountering branch arrangements

TRINUS Inc., the company operating SiKiTO, was established in 2014 to shed light on "resources" such as hidden materials and technologies and develop new products and services.

For several years after its founding, we focused on product development in collaboration with partner companies that possessed unique technologies and materials. Park Corporation, which operates Aoyama Flower Market and was one of our partners, introduced us to branch arrangements.

During our first visit in 2017, we received the idea of "creating a dedicated vase for branch arrangements, which are gradually growing in popularity," and collaborative development began.

During the development period, I found myself decorating with branch arrangements at home every time a prototype was made, and before long, I was completely captivated by their charm.

It was around that time that the COVID-19 pandemic hit, making it difficult to go out freely. However, with branch arrangements, I could enjoy cherry blossom viewing and autumn leaf peeping at home.

I was very surprised that I could experience a more seasonal life than ever before, even while confined to my private space.

Why branch arrangements enrich our lives

Why am I so drawn to branch arrangements?

Perhaps it's because humans, like plants, are living beings that exist in nature, and we instinctively crave interaction with it.

After I turned 35, I personally began to feel stressed when I had less contact with nature, like water overflowing from a cup.

I sometimes planned to travel frequently to nature-rich areas, or even live a two-base lifestyle, but due to work and family circumstances, it was difficult to do so.

It was branch arrangements that brought the joy of nature into my daily life during such times.

Spreading the word about living with branch arrangements

I developed a conviction that I wanted to share the comfort of "living with branch arrangements" with many people! At the same time, I also learned about the challenge that branch arrangements are generally difficult to obtain.

It seems that the distribution volume was high when ikebana culture was popular, but now only small ones are occasionally handled at local flower shops.

Large branch arrangements over 100cm, which have the power to instantly change the impression of a space, are rarely handled by stores due to reasons such as difficulty in carrying them home.

To solve this problem, we launched SiKiTO and started "Branch Arrangement Subscription Service," a subscription service that delivers branch arrangements nationwide.

Thanks to your support, the number of users of our branch arrangement subscription service continues to grow, leading to concerns about a "shortage of supply."

Therefore, SiKiTO is working to establish an agricultural model utilizing idle farmland (former farmland that is currently unused). SiKiTO users may already be familiar with our activities in Toyooka Village, Nagano Prefecture, and Nakanojo Town, Gunma Prefecture, through our monthly magazines.

We are wholeheartedly tackling this challenge with our local staff to contribute to regional revitalization through the creation of new "branch arrangement production areas."

Contents of the book

About three years have passed since the launch of the branch arrangement subscription service, and thanks to the support of branch arrangement fans nationwide, we have been able to gain their trust. However, while we also realized that the charm of branch arrangements is still not widely known, we were fortunate to have a valuable connection that led to the long-awaited publication of this book.

This book introduces the charm of branch arrangements from multiple perspectives, so that everyone from beginners to those already living with branch arrangements can enjoy it.

The opening gravure features carefully styled photos by myself, and in addition to techniques for caring for and arranging branch arrangements, it also includes a seasonal branch arrangement catalog (64 varieties) and reports from production areas.

I feel that this book is a culmination of everything I have learned and felt over the past few years.