This week I’m grateful to have been invited to the Naniwa Flower Auction Company’s annual Bloom Japan show in New York.Held at The Japan Society, my first visit was last year, so I already knew to be excited this time.And it certainly didn’t disappoint. From their brochure: “Japan with a long history of 2000 years, is surrounded by water and consists of arch-like islands running from the northeast to southwest.It (has been) blessed by four distinctive seasons, which gave rise to its unique and diverse cultures and traditions.There are about 40,000 cultivars of flowers and plants that are commercially produced and marketed in Japan.Among those, approximately 3,000 to 5,000 cultivars are newly introduced to the flower  and plant market, and this number is unbeatable in the world.The quality of the flowers and plants, and the sophisticated flower techniques in Japan are highly (regarded in) the international realm.  From this perspective, Japan’s productive land and rich flower culture are closely related to one another.”And I finally had the privilege of meeting Shirakawa Yutaka, President & CEO of Bloom Japan Network and Managing Director and Founder of BJN Asia, based in Hong Kong.I left with over 100 pictures, and a beautiful parting gift: a fragrant bunch of sweet peas, still thriving in my window.