Hideaki Inoue, president of the company that runs the Aoyama Flower Market chain, earlier in life had no particular interest in flowers. But today, the former accountant cannot live without them.

"Flowers enrich people's spiritual lives," said Inoue, 44, who surrounds himself at home and in the office with flowers and greenery.

The entrepreneur, whose corporate slogan is "living with flowers every day," wants as many people as possible to enjoy the beauty of flowers.