Before the Petals Fall

I used to live near Yoyogi Park,
one of the largest parks in Tokyo.

Every spring, I would find myself walking there,
almost without thinking,
just to see the cherry blossoms.

In Japan, we call this Hanami.
But it is not only about looking at flowers.

It is about being there,
in a moment that will quietly pass.

What I remember most is not the full bloom,
but the moment just after.

When the petals begin to fall,
carried by a soft wind,
and everything feels slightly incomplete.

This piece began with that memory.

A color between lavender and sakura,
never fixed,
shifting with light and movement.

Not something perfectly defined,
but something in between.

At NiiNu,
I am not trying to create something finished.

I am creating something that continues—
with the person who wears it,
with time,
with movement.

Like the petals,
just before they fall.