Fresh Chrysanthemum (Kiku) FlowerKiku is the Japanese word for chrysanthemum, the gorgeous and regal flower synonymous with autumn in Japan. Originally brought from China as early as the fifth century, Kiku flowers quickly transcended their aromatic and medicinal value and came to symbolize Japanese royalty, with the imperial family long ago earning the nickname of the chrysanthemum throne, and its visage portrayed on the fifty yen coin to this day.