Netsuke 'Frog and Ants' 「蛙と蟻」

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

In Prince Takamado's netsuke collection at the Tokyo National Museum is this 10cm-tall netsuke, titled Frog and Ants. The frog desperately but cutely escaping from the ants first caught my eye, but what surprised me most was that the carver is the American David Carlin.

Netsuke 'Beginning and End' 「阿吽」

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In the Prince Takamado Collection at the Tokyo National Museum, this 10 cm-long netsuke titled Beginning and End by Kihō Takagi features a salmon roe sushi on its left half—symbolizing life's beginning—and a spent, dying salmon on the right, representing its end.

Netsuke 'Halloween' 「ハロウィン」

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In Prince Takamado's netsuke collection at the Tokyo National Museum, there is a 3-cm-tall piece titled 'Halloween,' carved from a macadamia nut and amber by Toun Shishido. It made me think about Japanese religion. Do they follow Buddhism, Shinto, Christianity, Islam, or something else—or are they mostly atheist?

Stink Bug (Plinachtus Bicoloripes) キバラヘリカメムシ（黄腹縁亀虫）

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It's supposed to be stinky, but it’s beautiful, isn't it? This is Plinachtus bicoloripes, a species of stink bug native to Asia. You can often find them across Japan on the leaves and fruits of the staff-vine family. This one is hanging out on the fruits of a Hamilton's spindletree (Euonymus hamiltonianus). Fun fact: Plinachtus bicoloripes is actually known to be 'stink-free'—apparently, it smells like green apples or fresh grass! Maybe I should sniff one someday! 😆

2026/10/21

Joro Spider (Trichonephila Clavata) ジョロウグモ（女郎蜘蛛）

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Joro spiders (Trichonephila clavata) are native to Asia and can be found across Japan. As is often the case with spiders, the females are much larger. While a female's body length ranges from 17mm to 30mm, a male's is only 6mm to 10mm. This means the two spiders in the post are both female.

Fennel ウイキョウ

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I've eaten and used this herbal plant many times, but I never realized it had such beautiful flowers. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is native to the Mediterranean region and southern Europe, and it arrived in Japan during the Heian period (794 to 1185) through China.

Elizabeth Better Watch Her Back.... ご注意あれ、エリザベス！（仮定法現在の練習も兼ねてます）

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'If you had a gun and two bullets and saw a king cobra and Elizabeth right in front of you, who or which would you shoot first?'

Bamboo-Leaf Oak (Quercus Myrsinifolia) シラカシ（白樫）

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The bamboo-leaf oak (Quercus myrsinifolia) is native to eastern Asia and can be found across Japan. The tree produces flowers from April to May, followed by its fruits: acorns. What I find most enjoyable is observing their growth. They are tiny and pale green at first, getting chubbier while turning matcha green, and then brown toward autumn. These baby acorns still have styles, which are part of the pistils.

2026/10/16

All Roads Lead to Traffic Safety: Why the Hook Turn Matters in Japan 二段階右折は大切

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The traffic rules in Japan can be quite complicated for cyclists, especially the hook turn for those coming from countries without the rule. To understand key rules for cyclists in Japan and why the hook turn matters, I went to a local police box (Koban). Two officers on duty gave me the following information:

Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum x Morifolium) キク（菊）

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Here are some red and yellow garden mums (Chrysanthemum × morifolium) with a green plant bug (Apolygus lucorum) on one of them (see the second photo).

Chrysanthemums are special in Japan. The Imperial Seal of Japan is called the Chrysanthemum Seal and is used by the Emperor and the Imperial Family. But for me, the flowers are special in a different way—they always remind me of The Inugami Clan, a murder mystery book by Seishi Yokomizo (1902–1981). Yokomizo is one of Japan's most famous crime authors and the creator of the private detective character Kosuke Kindaichi.

Double-Flowered Camellia Sasanqua 八重咲の白山茶花

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The Camellia sasanqua is native to Japan and can be found across the country. It blooms from October to December, unlike the Camellia japonica, which flowers from February to April. Its colors vary from white to pink and red, and its petals range from single to double forms. The blooms in this post are double-flowered, white with pink edges, and can easily be spotted across Tokyo. Before opening, they look just like wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets).

2026/10/15