Photo/Illutration Yoshiharu Watanabe poses for a photo with the Guinness World Records certificate for his 63-leaf clover in Otawara, Tochigi Prefecture, on June 25, with the specimen seen in front. (Yoichi Tsubura)

OTAWARA, Tochigi Prefecture--A four-leaf clover is said to bring good luck.

But what if it has 63 leaves?

That is what Yoshiharu Watanabe accomplished, landing him an entry in Guinness World Records for the most leaves on a single clover.

The 45-year-old works at the prefecture-run Nakagawa Aquatic Park in Otawara and lives in Nasushiobara, both in Tochigi Prefecture.

After graduating from the only senior high school that offers a fisheries course in the landlocked Tochigi Prefecture, Watanabe went on to work at an aquarium in a different prefecture.

He returned to his hometown after the Nakagawa Aquatic Park opened.

Currently, his primary role is providing nature experience activities to children who visit the aquarium.

He started growing clovers in 2012 after he married and moved into a house with a garden.

Watanabe bought four-leaf clovers online. Even though he didn’t lavish them with care, they continued to bloom and propagate.

Several years later, Watanabe noticed that some clovers had more leaves than others.

He started collecting multi-leaf clovers from the dikes of rice paddies and elsewhere to raise in the garden.

As clovers sprouting more than 10 or even 20 leaves grew, so did his interest.

“I suddenly got serious about growing clovers with lots of leaves,” Watanabe recalled.

The previous record for the most leaves on a clover was set in 2009 by another Japanese man, Shigeo Obara, who grew one with 56 leaves.

Watanabe had always loved living things, and his dream was to find new species.

He reckons he sort of hit the jackpot by winning a world record associated with a living thing.

He repeatedly let flowers of multi-leaf clovers to cross pollinate, and diligently worked every year to gradually increase the number of leaves.

In summer 2023, he made an attempt on the world record with a clover dense with leaves of about 2 centimeters in diameter.

To receive certification in Guinness World Records, he asked a botanical expert to witness the process of putting a numbered sticker on each leaf while shooting a video.

Eventually, he counted 63 leaves.

It took more than an hour to complete the process.

His next goal is to grow a clover with 100 leaves.

Watanabe says his hobby of growing clovers is one thing and his main occupation of conveying the wonder of nature is another.

But he added with a smile, “I want people to learn about the mystery and appeal of creating a 63-leaf clover from three-leaf ones, and it may be the same as how I feel about my work.”