Nicolai Bergmann florist & café, Tokyo, Japan

My mornings in Tokyo started with an early breakfast followed by eagerly watching NHK to try to understand as much Japanese as I could. One segment featured the floral arrangements at the Shangri-La Tokyo by Danish florist Nicolai Bergmann. A little more research and I discovered that not only is Nicolai a phenomenal floral designer, he also has a shop and café in Aoyama: the perfect place to meet up with my friend Chie, whom I hadn’t seen since 2007. Catch up time!

Nicolai Bergmann’s floral heaven in Aoyama was such a welcome retreat from Tokyo’s sweltering summer heat (32 °C is too much for an English woman!), and a delight for all the senses. The unique floral boxes are my favourite. I haven’t seen anything like before: bright, centre-pieces which last approximately 6 days. Yes, please! The florist and café merge into one distinctive space incorporating Scandinavian minimalism and Japanese fondness for dissymmetrical floral arrangements. Unique, pretty and chic. I’m a fan!

To tantalise your taste buds and pay homage to Nicolai’s Scandinavian lineage, Nomu is a relaxed café integrated into the huge space. Nomu’s concise lunch menu offers a selection of organic soups, salads, Smørrebrød sandwiches and delicious cakes. Maintaining the floral theme throughout, our table was beautifully decorated with moss and baby apples. I tried the sandwiches with smoked salmon and capers and mozzarella and avocado with a light salad. The desserts looked appealing but sadly, I didn’t have space to sample one. Next time!