Published December 1, 2025

Through the ups and downs of her previous occupations and her move to the United States from Okinawa, Junko, age 76, would never have imagined herself in the floral industry. Since her humble beginnings selling flower arrangements over 20 years ago, Junko has embodied the idea that every day—and every flower—has a unique purpose.

Establishing and Expanding Her Shop

Upon moving to California, Junko was seeking a new career after owning a trade company with her late husband and then working in medical equipment manufacturing. Through a thoughtful discussion with her son, he suggested that she leverage her love for flowers and the arranging skills she gained through her ikebana teaching license to open a flower shop. Junko hesitated and asked herself, “Who’s gonna buy my flowers? Flowers are perishable; what if they don’t sell?” Turning her own parental advice back on her, her son asked, “Mom, have you done it before?” And thus, Junko’s journey to her flower shop began.

Junko started selling her flowers at a small stall at Mitsuwa in Costa Mesa and eventually moved to a vendor spot at H Mart. After several years in the grocery stores, her booming business and increased demand from returning customers led Junko to find a larger, more permanent home for her shop, Zen Gardens Floral, in Tustin.

Living Life Through Flowers

Junko’s purpose in her work stemmed from her realization that there is more to owning a flower shop than just focusing on sales. She shared a story about one returning customer who first purchased a few flowers from her at Mitsuwa. Since then, he has returned to her many times over the years for his entire family, including weddings, birthdays, pregnancies, funerals, and anniversaries.

Junko noted that she had been able to see the life of this one family, all through her flowers. She shared, “There is always something important going on in people’s lives, and my flowers can be a part of that. It makes me go through their lives with my flowers, and I think that makes me very lucky.”

“Junko-Style”

Even though her expertise was in Ohara-style ikebana, she realized the method might not be sustainable for a retail shop. Junko found that she does not like to stick to a set structure for flower arranging, but she enjoys blending her expertise with her personal aesthetic. She shared, “If you don’t want to follow some kind of system, and you have your own system and thoughts, I think anybody can start anything. I don’t say [my flowers are] ‘Ohara-style’ because they are not. It is ‘Junko-style’.”

“Junko-style” was developed over time through the connections that she formed with every person who walked through her shop doors. When her customers come in to discuss designing a custom arrangement, many end up sharing their feelings and venting their frustrations. She added, “[My customers] come in to buy flowers and they leave with advice!” This trust she has built with them helps make each arrangement unique and personal. 

When asked about the next steps in her career, Junko shared, “To me, the future is just tomorrow. I don’t know what I’ll be doing in ten years or even one year, but I want to make sure that I will be doing something.” Junko’s story is a testament to the unexpected joys and successes that can bloom from pursuing one’s true passion.