Hiroshi Nakamura

On March 5th, “Exhibitions of Shikoku Kochi, hometown of Ryoma opened, Kochi Prefecture will introduce our proud of foods, history, culture, nature, and beautiful flowers from now for one year.
The Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden in Kochi City started special exhibition “Spring flowers of the Netherlands”. In the “friendship garden” that was made in memory of “Friendly relationship agreement between Kochi prefecture and Westland city of the Netherlands in 2009, about 100,000 bulb flowers like tulips and lilies that were imported from the Netherlands will bloom one after another. It will last until July 3rd.
They grow many flowers in huge plate “Sawachi”. We Kochi people decorate Sawachi with many kinds of foods upon the party. The biggest Flower Sawachi is 5m in diameter. There are more than 40 of them in the garden, they are so beautiful and amazing. Please don’t miss it!!
Nakamura Noen arranged most of these bulbs, special thanks to Onings
Holland. I and Mr.Sjoerd Onings were invited to the opening ceremony, with Ms.Shimazaki; famous actress, Mr.Tohgoh; vice governor of Kochi prefecture, Mr.Okazaki; mayor of Kochi city. It was great honor for us. Mr.Sjoerd Onings has come from Onings Holland, and he is staying in Kochi to study lily industry for one month.
Now is the time to see tulips and daffodils, such as early spring flowers. We will enjoy Dutch-irises and lilies etc. later.
By the way, our Lily Festa is an event of the chain of exhibitions too, we will hold it from June 1st Wednesday to 5th Sunday. We’d so appreciate if you visited to enjoy our Lily Festa and Makino Botanical Garden, and Kochi.
Thank you!!

Ryoma; Ryoma Sakamoto, 1836-1867, born in Kochi, one of the most popular “samurai” in Japanese history. He played very important part in
Meiji Restoration when Japan changed from middle age: the Edo era to modern age: the Meiji era. His statue is at Katsurahama beach nearby Nakamura Noen.

An offer：
　“The Kochi” newspaper.
　March 6th 2011, Sun.