Common Straight Swift (Parnara Guttata) イチモンジセセリ（一文字挵）

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The common straight swift (Parnara guttata) is found across Japan, where it is a much-loved insect. While moths usually open their wings when resting and most butterflies keep theirs closed, the common straight swift sometimes rests with its wings open to absorb warmth from the sun. This behavior allowed me to see that its back is green (scroll down). You can also scroll down to see an ant carrying a dead common straight swift.

The butterfly's Japanese name is "ichimonji seseri," which translates to "straight-line skipper" due to the white spots aligned on its wings. In contrast, the small branded swift (Pelopidas mathias), which features white spots arranged in a circle, is called "chabane seseri" in Japanese, translating to "brown-wing skipper."

Personally, I really love common straight swifts because of their cute, squirrel-like eyes.

2026/10/4

2026/8/25

Beef Jerky at Midnight 真夜中のビーフジャーキー

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

 

On a weekday afternoon, I was in the office talking with a colleague of mine. He loves steak—in particular, grilled beef steak. As always, he was passionately telling me about his favorite steak restaurants. It was nearly 1 p.m. I had many things to do that afternoon, but he kept talking. I glanced at my phone, pretending to check the time, and when I looked up, I was surprised to see a slice of raw beef on his right palm. He said with a broad grin, "This is the best beef I've ever had. You should try this!"

 

An Elephant Never Forgets 英語の諺「象は忘れない」

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

An elephant never forgets. Neither do I...

White-Banded Hunter Hawkmoth (Theretra Oldenlandiae) セスジスズメ（背筋雀）

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Impatiens hawkmoths, also known as white-banded hunter hawkmoths (Theretra oldenlandiae), can be found across Japan. Their caterpillars are a beautiful black, creating a stark contrast with their orange spots initially, before turning brownish prior to burrowing into the ground to pupate. They can also sometimes be pale green, as their body color varies depending on temperature and age. While the caterpillars have a chubby appearance, the adults look cool, resembling fighter jets. Adults can be found from May to October in Japan.  

2026/8/5

2026/10/3

Lost in Translation: A Case of A Pale View of Hills ロスト・イン・トランスレーション「遠い山並みの光」の場合

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I read A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro about ten years ago. The book was my second Ishiguro novel after Never Let Me Go. I enjoyed reading it, in particular the surprising tone change at the end of the story. The change is subtle, but I found it amazing that only a few words could completely change the perspective of the story. The passage was as follows:

Thanks Mosquito! 父と蚊

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Keiko was not married and still lived with her parents. Her father had retired and had finally started to do some household chores for the first time in his life. The incident happened when they heard a mosquito buzzing in their ears while folding clothes side by side without any conversation.

Single-Flowered White Sasanqua Camellia with Pink Edges 一重でピンクの縁取りの白山茶花

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The Camellia sasanqua is native to, and can be found across, Japan. It produces flowers from October to December (as opposed to the Camellia japonica, which flowers from February to April). The colors vary from white to pink and red and so do the petal forms, ranging from single to double. The blooms in this post are single-flowered and white with pink edges and you can easily spot these blooms in many places across Tokyo. Single-flowered Camellia sasanquas may be less flashy but are as beautiful as the double-flowered ones. 

2026/9/27

White Magnolia (Yulan Magnolia) ハクモクレン（白木蓮）

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Yulan magnolia (Magnolia denudata) is native to central and eastern China but now can be found across Japan and in many places in Tokyo. The tree flowers from February to April, the earliest among magnolias growing in Japan. The flower's pure white creates a brilliant contrast against the blue sky.  

2026/3/2

2024/3/12

Confederate Rose (Hibiscus Mutabilis cv. Versicolor) スイフヨウ（酔芙蓉）

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These are Confederate roses (Hibiscus mutabilis cv. versicolor) and the first five photos are of one flower, taken at 10:00, 12:30, 15:30 and 16:30 on 16 September 2024 and at 5:30 on the following morning. After such a color change from pure white in the morning to pink in the afternoon, this type of Confederate roses is named "sui fuyou," which translates into "drunken Confederate rose."

The sixth and the last ones are red and white marbled. Some Japanese apricot trees produce such colored flowers but (I believe that) a Confederate rose tree producing such flowers is quite unusual. White apricot trees don't exist but red ones produce white or red/white marbled flowers when they cannot produce enough anthocyanins to make flowers red. The same may apply to this hibiscus tree. 

If you want to see peach, Japanese apricot, or lespedeza having white, pink/red or marble-colored flowers on a tree, read the following posts: 

- Red & White Marble Colored Flowering Peach

- Half & Half Colored Japanese Apricot (White & Pink)!

- Lespedeza Japonica Bailey cv. Versicolor (Variegated Bush Clover)

10:00 a.m., 2024/9/16

Asian Swallowtail (Papilio Xuthus) ナミアゲハ（並揚羽）

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The Asian swallowtail (Papilio xuthus) is found in Asia, Siberia and the Hawaiian Islands and can be found across Japan. Its female is known to have clearer blue areas in black bands on their hindwings, so most of those in these photos may be female. 

Butterflies usually close their wings when resting but are also known to open their wings to bask in the sun to warm their bodies, which gave me the moment to take these photos. 

2026/6/30

Pale Grass Blue (Pseudozizeeria Maha) 大和小灰蝶（ヤマトシジミ）

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A male pale grass blue (Pseudozizeeria maha) butterfly looks completely different when its wings are open (1st photo) and closed (2nd photo). When closed, you may disregard it because it's plain, just a small white butterfly with black spots. When the wings are open, however, you would be surprised by the beautiful pale blue of the upper side of its wings as suggested by the name. (If you want to see the butterfly showing both sides, see the 3rd photo.) Butterflies are known to open their wings to bask in the sun to warm their bodies, so you're more likely to see the beautiful blue in autumn than summer.   

The pale grass blue resembles the plains cupid (Luthrodes pandava) very much except for the latter having orange spots on the wings. I once mistook a plains cupid for a pale grass blue.   

2025/11/2

2026/9/27