Chinese Tallow (Triadica Sebifera) 南京櫨（ナンキンハゼ）

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The Chinese tallow tree is one of my favorite plants for its beauty throughout the year: spike-like green flowers and beautiful three-lobed green fruits from spring to summer, gorgeous gradients of red, orange, and yellow leaves in autumn, and chubby white seeds covered in capsules that start green and turn black in winter. The tree is native to China but can be found across Japan. Its leaves offer great habitats to insects, like nettle caterpillars (scroll down to see them) and yellow spotted stink bugs.

2021/12/2

Glossy Privet (Ligustrum Lucidum) トウネズミモチ（唐鼠黐）

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The glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum) is native to China, was introduced to Japan during the Meiji period (1868–1912), and can now be found across the country. In Japan, it produces flowers from June to July and fruits in October (scroll down to see them). The fruits are green at first and turn purplish-black toward winter. Its Japanese name is tou-nezumi-mochi, which translates to "Chinese mouse mochi," because the fruits look like mouse droppings and the leaves resemble those of the mochi tree, or nepal holly (Ilex integra). Despite their resemblance to mouse droppings, the fruits of this privet are used in herbal medicine.

The glossy privet is widely planted in urban areas (e.g., Tokyo) because it's highly tolerant of air pollution, heavy urban smog, and poor soil conditions.

2026/6/22

Pink Camellia Sasanqua (Sasanqua Camellia) ピンクの山茶花（サザンカ）

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The sasanqua camellia is native to Japan and can be found across the country. It blooms from October to December—unlike Camellia japonica, which flowers from February to April. Its colors range from white to pink and red, and its petals vary from single to double. The combination of pink shades and layered petals in these photos makes the blooms look gorgeous.

The blooms of the sasanqua and the Japanese camellia resemble each other, but they differ in several ways—such as how the flower dies. A sasanqua sheds its petals one by one, while a Japanese camellia falls off in its entirety.

11/11/2026

Sacred Bamboo (Nandina Domestica) ナンテン（南天）

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The sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica) is native to China, was brought to Japan for ornamental and medical purposes before the 16th century, and can now be found across the country. It is called nanten in Japanese—derived from the Chinese nantianzhú (meaning 'southern heavenly bamboo')—because people once believed it came from South Asia. The name nanten can also be written with the kanji 難転, which shares a sound with words meaning 'turning away misfortune.' Because of this wordplay, the plant is traditionally used in Japanese New Year decorations.

The sacred bamboo is known for its beautiful red berries, though its leaves also turn a gorgeous red from late autumn to winter (see the last three photos).

11/10/2026

Gaillardia Pulchella (Indian Blanket) is Kamikaze Flower 天人菊（ガイラルディア）は「特攻花」

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These photos show an Indian blanket or sundance (Gaillardia pulchella). In Japan, it is usually called Tenningiku, but it also goes by the name Tokkobana. This translates to 'kamikaze flower', because pilots in Kagoshima Prefecture were given these flowers before setting out on suicide missions.

People have different criteria for electing a president or lawmakers, and that’s perfectly fine. People vary, and so do their values. But one thing I really hope is that people choose leaders who won't start a war. Everywhere in the world, I just hope everyone votes for candidates who will strive to avoid war.

11/6/2020

Katazome Drawstring Bag 型染め巾着ポーチ

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I made this drawstring bag using the katazome technique at the Chuo City International Exchange Party. Katazome is a traditional Japanese method of dyeing fabrics using a resist paste applied through a stencil—usually a rice flour mixture spread with a brush or palette knife. It was developed in Japan based on wax-resist dyeing, which was introduced from China in the 8th century. While wax-resist uses wax, katazome uses rice paste. 

The Chuo City International Exchange Party (a free Japanese cultural event) is held early every November. This year's event has wrapped up, but if you happen to be in Tokyo next year, drop by the Tsukiji Social Education Center to experience it for yourself!

Hie Shrine 赤坂日枝神社

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This is Hie Shrine in Akasaka, Tokyo. Although the tunnel of vermilion torii gates is much shorter than the ones at Fushimi Inari Taisha, it is still a wonderful experience to walk through.😉

Sanno torii gate 山王鳥居

Stewartia Pseudocamellia (Korean Stewartia) 婆羅双樹（ホントは夏椿）

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These are the fruits of the Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia) that I saw at Tennōji Temple in Ueno, Tokyo. It took me two hours to identify the tree for a reason you can see in the third photo.

The stone pillar in the third photo is labeled 'sal tree,' so I naturally assumed it was one and started thinking about the Taira clan—one of the four major clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period (794–1185) before being defeated by the Minamoto clan at the end of the 12th century. I say 'naturally' because the name 'sal tree' immediately reminds most Japanese people of The Tale of the Heike, which opens with a reference to it.

However, the tree and its fruit looked nothing like the sal trees I searched for online. Then I found the answer: the tree marked on the pillar isn’t a sal tree at all, but a Japanese stewartia. Why this happens is unclear; some say that because true sal trees don't grow in Japan, temples plant Japanese stewartias instead because they have similar leaves and white flowers, while others believe monks simply mistook the tree for the real thing.

Stewartia pseudocamellia 沙羅双樹？

Magnolia Grandiflora (Southern Magnolia) 泰山木（タイサンボク）

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This is a Magnolia grandiflora, commonly known as the southern magnolia tree, at Tennoji Temple in Ueno, Tokyo. Can you see how big the flowers are?

The temple features several interesting highlights, including this tall tree, a Japanese stewartia (which goes by a misnomer), and a fascinating history.

The temple originally belonged to the Nichiren school of Buddhism, but it was persecuted by the Edo government. At the end of the 17th century, it was forcefully converted to the Tendai school, and two of its monks were exiled to a distant island.

The Nichiren school openly rejected other Buddhist schools, angering both priests and the country's rulers, which led to the persecution of the sect and its temples. Today, however, Tennoji Temple bears no outward trace of that turbulent past—only peaceful, beautiful trees and flowers.

Magnolia grandiflora tree at Tennoji temple 天王寺の泰山木

Floats of Monkey, Cuckoo, and Minamoto at Akasaka Hikawa Shrine 赤坂氷川神社の山車（猿、閑古鳥、源頼義）

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These are floats at Akasaka Hikawa Shrine in Tokyo. On the right is a cuckoo, which represents peace; in the center is a monkey, regarded as a messenger of the gods; and on the left is Yoriyoshi Minamoto (988–1075), a leader of the Minamoto clan.

Many shrines and temples in Tokyo once held these festive floats but lost most of them to the Great Kanto Earthquake, World War II, and the discontinuation of local festivals. The Akasaka Hikawa Shrine is no exception. Though it once organized a parade of 13 floats to protect the community, four were lost over time. Today, only nine remain, including the three pictured here. (Source: Akasaka Float Preservation Society)

 

Floats of Akasaka Hikawa shrine; "Yoriyoshi (left)," "Monkey (center)," and "Cuckoo"
赤坂氷川神社の山車 左から「源頼義」、「猿」、「閑古鳥」

Red & White Prunus Mume (Japanese Apricot) 紅白梅

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Look at the striking contrast between the red and white Japanese apricot flowers and the blue sky! I saw these Japanese plum blossoms near Kanda Myojin Shrine. A coffee shop at the entrance of the shrine was selling hot amazake, a traditional sweet, non-alcoholic drink made from fermented rice.

 
If you ever have the chance to visit Japan, the Ochanomizu area—home to Kanda Myojin Shrine and Yushima Seido—is definitely recommended. Yushima Seido is just a two-minute walk from Kanda Myojin, and if you time your visit for January or February, you can enjoy red and pink Japanese camellias there, too.

2021/2/1