Taniku BASE, a beloved succulent plant shop, opened since January 2023 in Yoka, Yabu City in northern Hyogo is dedicated to the cultivation and sale of more than 300 species of succulent plants grown in greenhouses. The shop handles a wide selection and has a large space for succulent arrangements. We had the opportunity to interview the owner as we learned more about the fascinating world of succulent plants.
As you enter, you quickly notice that the spacious greenhouse is lined with rows of colorful succulents, each with its unique characteristics: from round and adorable shapes to radiant and spiky ones to flared petal-like ones, creating a charming scenery to enjoy observing.
Succulents of the genus Echeveria, with their beautiful rose-like rosettes, are especially popular among women. But how did the owner, Mr. Takemura, come to the business of succulents?
“Succulent plants had been around me for some time, as my wife had gradually increased the number of succulents she grew as a hobby and made her own shelves for them as a DIY hobby, but it was a visit with my wife to an event held in Mie Prefecture that sparked my interest. Despite the pandemic, 2,000 visitors from other prefectures came out to the event, and the more than 15,000 seedlings were almost sold out. Seeing the enthusiasm of the visitors and the way they seemed to be enjoying themselves, the fun gradually began to sink in.” Mr. Takemura explains.
He was very impressed by the event, and although he had never been interested in flowers or plants before, he was surprised to learn that succulents look like flowers but are actually leaves, and that some are pretty in red and pink, while others are cool and attractive in purple and black, appealing not only to women but also to men. Mr. Takemura saw the potential of succulents to be enjoyed by a large group of people and became more and more fascinated by them.
“I make my living by farming, but the event ignited a fire in me, and I felt the desire to take on the challenge of creating a succulent specialty store in Yabu City that would attract not only local succulent fans, but also visitors from other prefectures.”
The Enjoyment of Seasonal Changes
Like many plants, succulents also bloom and their leaves turn red in autumn. The unique cold temperatures of our Tajima region make the foliage of succulents look even more beautiful. In summer, when ultraviolet rays are strong, the leaves can become burnt and discolored, and like cacti, many succulents cannot be left out in the rain. That is why, at Taniku BASE, temperature, humidity and ventilation are carefully monitored by installing large fans in the summer and burning stoves in winter inside the greenhouses. If you leave the dead leaves in the pot as they are, they will steam inside the pot, so during the rainy season and summer, you should do a detailed job of removing the dead leaves. Succulents are easy to grow, and if you put the removed leaves in the soil (leaf insertion), new shoots will appear in just a few days. For those who like to take care of plants, the results of their work will make them feel that they have grown the plants themselves, and they will become more attached to them.
“My wife was the one who first introduced me to the world of succulents, and once I started working with them, I was hooked. I have become so absorbed in my work that even my wife sometimes tells me to come home early.” He laughs.
While Mr. Takemura makes the wooden shelves and signboards for display, his wife is in charge of the decorative ornaments in the store. Everything is handmade. The decorations are made of “styrofoam,” an insulation material used in construction, and mortar is applied to create an antique-style design. Everything is beautifully made to go well with the succulent plants. “We’re also working with colleagues who opened a year earlier in the neighbouring town of Tantō who is very knowledgeable about cultivation, and another who opened the same year in Asago City, and I think we can collaborate on events and do interesting things in the future.”
It is perhaps thanks to the mutual trust over the years that their competitors in Tantō recommend “Taniku BASE” to their customers as a place for Yoseue plant arrangements. It seems that they are respected by their industry peers and that their attitude of being attentive to the feelings and needs of every visitor has led to this level of trust.
“We are proud that our customers are very happy with the unique mosaics that they can create by touching the soil and selecting from many different types of plants, which they can enjoy arranging and becoming attached to because they can create their own original plants. We would like to encourage people who love gardening and those with extra pots after the original flowers or plants died to creatively reuse them.
The colorful succulent planting arrangements could be considered “succulent art,” and a form of “flower arrangement.”
Valuing the Connections with the Followers
“We would love to collaborate with local restaurants and cafés in the town of Yoka so that we can introduce each other’s stores to travellers who visit our city. In the future, we are thinking of placing brochures and flyers about local stores so that visitors can tour the town.”
In the future, they plan to focus on the persimmon tree next to the greenhouse to complement the succulents by offering visitors the opportunity to experience harvesting and eating persimmons from Hatakenaka, which are a specialty of Yabu City.
“Moving forward, I would like to continue posting photos on Instagram of customers experiencing succulent arrangements to grow our online presence and our fanbase. We want to connect with a wide range of people in their 30s to 60s, including those who come from far away, those who have garage sales, and first-timers when it comes to planting succulents, to come to our store and follow us. We also hope to reach out to more of our locals and residents throughout Tajima.”
The store’s future goal is to become a place where people can experience all kinds of hands-on activities. In addition to planting, the store plans to offer classes on mortar molding using styrofoam and handmade collage pots using layers of stickers, as well as hands-on classes on business trips and at events outside of town.
The Takemuras are a friendly couple who are happy to give advice to beginners without hesitation. It is likely that the popularity of succulents will continue to grow in this area as they educate visitors on how to enjoy and cultivate them from different perspectives.
Taniku BASE Address & Hours of Operation:
Address: 573-1 Yagi, Yoka-cho, Yabu-shi, Hyogo
Open: Tuesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and on National Holidays
Hours: 10:00-16:30
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