The Embassy of the Netherlands in Japan on Friday officially named a new lily variety "Kodaira" after Japanese speed skater Nao Kodaira, the 2018 Olympic women's 500-meters champion, in hopes the flower will serve as a bridge between the two countries.From 2014, Kodaira spent two years training in the Netherlands, where speed skating is a popular sport. Her work there laid the foundation for the success that followed, which also included a silver medal in the 1,000 meters at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea."I am very much honored that a new lily variety has been given t…READ FULL ARTICLE
