In the late summer of 2025, the Dutch city of The Hague becomes the epicenter of global floral artistry as the World Cup Floral Art challenge—officially the Florint World Championship Floral Art—makes a comeback in an impressive convergence of floral tradition, innovation, and creative artistry. From August 28 to 31, what began as the Europa Cup in 1967 and has grown into a truly universal contest, welcomes the world’s leading floral artists to compete on its international stage. Quite a massive gathering, it always is!
Over four intense days, the competition will showcase an extraordinary synthesis of skill and innovative design, where traditional floristry approaches meet audacious new expressions in an event that promises to be quite a showcase of creativity, featuring contestants from different countries. The contest is always about traditional aesthetics that honor the floristry art’s rich heritage. Japan’s Hiroto Inoue is one of those who take part. Representing his country on this global stage, he brings fresh ideas from the nation known for its reverence for nature, mastery of mixed floral media, and a distinctive air that honors its aesthetics.
The Beginning of a Creative Floral Journey
Initially trained in architectural engineering, Hiroto’s journey in floristry is far from the ordinary one you’d say. He spent a decade working in the construction industry, a period that molded his artistic sensibilities. He says: "I studied architectural engineering in school and worked at a construction company in that capacity for ten years. During this time, I discovered floral design, first focusing on geometric design, followed by vegetal design.” Here, natural forms and organic materials took center stage.
He reveals that while the construction industry involves working with a lot of people, he wanted to do a job where he could work alone, noting: “In many cases, a florist’s work can be done by one person.” The desire for autonomy, coupled with his technical background, set the pace for a creative transformation. But learning construction, he believes, helped him quite significantly. It enabled him to think about shapes in three dimensions, highlighting how his engineering roots continue to inform the spatial intricacy of his floral compositions.
His transition from architecture to floral design furthermore reflects a nuanced mix of technical precision and artistic intuition. The architectural mindset, focused on balance, proportion, and innovative use of materials, melded seamlessly with the fluidity and impermanence of floral art. In ways, his early works revealed this: a fascination with the play between man-made structure and natural growth. His characteristic style, as a result, distorts the borders between these and other disciplines. Yet, even in this feat, Hiroto’s self-perception is refreshingly humble. He muses with characteristic candor: “I don’t even know myself. I’m just a lazy person.” A remark that belies the ambition and discipline evident in his prolific career.
After quitting the construction sector, Hiroto fully embraced his passion for floristry by opening a flower shop. He currently focuses on workshops and running this shop, where he specializes in wedding floral decoration, a demanding field that requires both aesthetic thoughtfulness and expertise. This phase of his career honed his skills in creating elegant, emotionally resonant designs that do more than just celebrate life’s milestones. But his artistic desires extend beyond commercial work; he sought to explore floral art as a medium for cultural expression and innovation.
His Artistic Signature, a Fusion of Nature, Japanese Materials... and Some Modern Elements
Japan, as noted, is a country that deeply venerates nature. The floral artist’s creative process would definitely follow this course. His style is therefore deeply entrenched in nature’s observation and daily experience.
Hiroto Inoue:
“My designs are inspired by what I see in my daily life, perhaps influenced by ikebana.”
This influence is not only aesthetic but philosophical. As he says, “our culture is very quiet. Ikebana uses a few flowers in silence. I think the contrast between silence and a little movement is very important. When thinking about a piece, start with a little hint and expand it. In my case, I often find it in the shape.”
Also key to his floral artistry is his extensive engagement with vegetal design and traditional Japanese materials. He is renowned for incorporating elements such as Washi (Japanese handmade paper) in his creations. This material, he says, is very familiar to the Japanese. And is easy to acquire. He also uses thin wooden boards, bamboo skins, and other indigenous materials in his arrangements, and reaffirms that vegetal design has strongly influenced his works. The distinctive use of mixed media not only pays homage to Japan’s rich cultural heritage but also showcases the many expressive possibilities of floral design.
Hiroto’s work is also characterized by a constant pursuit of harmony between inspiration and the natural materials he employs. His relentless quest, he notes, is to reach for this ideal fusion. His arrangements often stir a discourse between the ephemeral beauty of flowers and the textures of paper, wood, and other materials, creating layered compositions. Of course, these arrangements summon introspection from the audience. This approach reflects a broader Japanese aesthetic philosophy that values imperfection, ephemerality, and the intimate link that humans share with nature.
These artistic styles: his innovative use of paper and other traditional materials, as one would expect, earned him recognition both in Japan and internationally, distinguishing him as a pioneer who bridges classical floral craftsmanship with contemporary floral art.
Hiroto Inoue:
“I am strongly interested in Japanese materials, and I’m known for using them in my floral art.”
Also, his blend of old and new quite resonates within the global floristry community and artistic floristry, where cultural authenticity and innovation are getting more and more recognition… cherished even.
Many Competitive Milestones and International Recognitions
Spanning nearly two decades, Hiroto’s competitive career is marked by numerous achievements and accolades that attest to his technical skill, creativity, and artistic ideas. His impressive journey began in 2005 when he earned the Runner-Up to Best in Show at the 8th World Association of Flower Arrangers (WAFA) competition. This, by all signs, beckoned his emergence as a budding talent on the world stage.
In the following years, he consistently ranked among the top contenders at the NFD Japan Flower Design Awards, securing 2nd place in 2006 and 3rd place in 2007. His reputation as a skilled demonstrator also grew, with invitations to showcase his work internationally, including a demonstration in Taiwan in 2007. This period set the basis for his dual role as both competitor and educator.
By 2008, Hiroto’s accomplishments included a 3rd place finish in the Japan Florist of the Year competition and a prestigious Gold Award at the NFD Grand Prix, which all emphasized his technical and artistic skills. He maintained this momentum with another 3rd place at the Japan Florist of the Year in 2009 and further international exposure through a demonstration at the Flower Expo in Korea.
The early 2010s marked a peak in his career, highlighted by his 2011 sweep of the NFD Japan Flower Design Award Grand Prize and the coveted Prime Minister’s Award, along with another Gold at the NFD Grand Prix. This, then, asserted his status as one of Japan’s leading floral artists. In 2015, his artistry earned him Best in Show at the Flower Japan Cup, alongside a Silver Award at the International Flower Design Contest Japan and a 2nd place at the Tokyo Flower Award. That year, he also achieved Silver status as a Certified Skilled Professional in Flower Decoration at the national convention, reflecting his recognized expertise and professionalism.
Hiroto’s international acclaim grew further in 2016 when he won the Fusion Flowers International Designer of the Year title and the Platinum Award. The following year, he continued to collect honors, including a Silver Award at the same Fusion Flowers contest, Gold at the Flower Japan Cup, and multiple Silver awards at the International Flower Design Contest Japan and national certification events. In 2017, he also showcased his versatility through body decoration at the FDSS Dream Ball.
More achievements came in 2018, when he reclaimed Best in Show at the Flower Japan Cup and earned a Bronze Award at the International Flower Design Contest Japan. His work was prominently displayed at prestigious events like the 12th China International Orchid Show and Royal Floria Putrajaya. The following year, he extended his influence through education by conducting a workshop at the renowned Philadelphia Flower Show, sharing his expertise with a wider audience and continuing his legacy of nurturing the next generation of floral artists. Yet, despite these impressive records, he remained grounded and open to new ideas and experiences.
Educator and Ambassador of Floral Art
Hiroto, who is also committed to floral education and cultural exchange aside from his floral design’s commercial side, conducts workshops and lectures both in Japan and abroad, where he shares his floristry technique’s knowledge, as well as his philosophy of integrating traditional Japanese materials with modern aesthetics.
He is also attuned to the shifting landscape of floral education in Japan: “In Japan, the number of people studying flower design has drastically decreased due to the economic downturn. I (perhaps) want to move to a country where there are many students. Otherwise, I remain a lazy person in Japan,” he observes; just a glimpse into some of the challenges facing the next generation of floral artists and his desire to continue learning and teaching in vibrant creative communities, and positively influence the floral trade.
His role as an educator, therefore, amplifies the impact of his work, inspiring a new generation of floral artists to embrace innovation while respecting tradition. His international workshops, including those at prominent events like The Philadelphia Flower Show, showcase his enthusiasm to nurture a global community of floral designers who appreciate cross-cultural discourses and artistic experimentation.
Participating in the World Cup Floral Art 2025
As he takes part in the 2025 World Cup Floral Art, Hiroto remains eager to explore new materials and trends. He states: “This year, my trend is OASIS® Bio Floral Foam. This product has not yet been released in Japan. I get excited when I see a product for the first time.” This shows his consistent curiosity and willingness to embrace innovation.
Still, yet, the pressure of such a high-profile event is not lost on him. “Hearing that [participation in the competition] has made me so nervous, I need to take sleeping pills everyday,” he admits, perhaps, a candid glimpse of the intensity of the competition, which is sponsored by a host of floral enterprises, incidentally, including growers Marginpar and Decorum; whose flowers and plants will be extensively used. But he is thrilled by the whole experience.
Hiroto Inoue:
“This is because I can go to Europe, the home of flower design, and I want to see the work of many European designers. I am very honored to be able to see it for the first time. I am very proud to be able to participate in a competition in Europe.”
But then again, his participation will showcase his unique ability to blend Japanese cultural elements with modern aesthetics and avant-garde floral artistry, which brings a fresh twist and perspective in a diverse field of floral artists from across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and elsewhere. Throughout the competition, he will be challenged to demonstrate versatility and creativity under pressure, tasks that align well with his extensive experience in both competitive and commercial floral design. And, his mixed experiences, he believes, afford him a distinctive edge in theorizing and executing innovative and elaborate designs that will guarantee that he brings Japan the top award.
Photos are of designs created by floral artist Hiroto Inoue (hirotoinoue_funny).
