Japanese Cornel (Cornus Officinalis) サンシュユ（山茱萸）

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The Japanese cornel (Cornus officinalis) is native to China, Korea, and Japan and can be found across Japan. The tree produces umbels of bright yellow flowers from March to April and berries that get redder from October to November. 

The bright yellow of Japanese cornel flowers is called a "vitamin color" in Japan because it's said to energize people, which I believe is true. In spring, many stop in front of the trees to look at their pretty flowers talking about the joy of spring but surprisingly and sadly, most don't know the Japanese cornel. The Japanese cornel is one of the most underestimated trees because of their blossoming at almost the same time as cherry and Japanese apricot trees.    

2026/3/11

2026/3/11

White Daphne (Daphne Odora Alba) シロバナジンショウゲ（白花沈丁花）

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This is Daphne odora Alba. Winter daphne is native to southern China, coming to Japan before the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573) and now can be found across Japan. As one of the most fragrant plants in Japan with cape jasmine and orange sweet osmanthus, winter daphne produces fragrant flowers from February to April. Winter daphne usually produces white and pink flowers, but it also produces white and "cream white" flowers.  

2026/3/8

2026/3/8

Buttercup Witch Hazel (Corylopsis Pauciflora) ヒュウガミズキ（日向水木）

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Buttercup witch hazel (Corylopsis pauciflora) is native to Taiwan and Japan and can be found across Japan. The plant produces a cluster of 2 to 6 primrose yellow flowers from March to April. So pretty! 

Buttercup witch hazel resembles spike winter hazel, but because the spike winter hazel is larger and less easy to grow, it's less popular among gardeners and I've never seen the spike winter hazel. 

2026/3/8

2026/3/8

2026/3/8

"Thousand-Flowered" Pink, Red, and White Japanese Camellias 千重咲きのピンク、赤、白の椿

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Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica) has many cultivars and this is one of them, "thousand flowered" Japanese camellias. You don't see stamens because their stamens (and pistils) have disappeared or degenerated, or changed into petals.  

The fact that these camellias have no stamens gave rise to one question for me, i.e. how a thousand flowered camellia dies. Will it fall off in its entirety like other usual Japanese camellias even though it has no stamens? The question occurred to me because the stamens of Japanese camellias (more specifically, the filament part) connect with petals, which allows their unique way of dying as opposed to sasanqua camellias, which die with petals falling off one by one without such connection. The answer is in the 7th photo. Even without stamens, a thousand flowered Japanese camellia falls off in its entirety. A Japanese camellia is a Japanese camellia whether it has stamens or not.  

2026/3/8

2026/1/17

2026/3/8

2026/3/8

Variegated Camellias 斑入り椿

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You would find Japanese camellias here and there in Tokyo (and across Japan) but not so often when it comes to variegated blooms. 

Interestingly, some camellia trees have blooms of different colors, e.g., deep pink, pale pink, and variegated, depending on the amount of anthocyanins. The tree in the 1st and 2nd photos has only one variegated bloom while the tree in the 5th photo has both pink and variegated blooms. Nature always fascinates me!   

Japanese camellias have been appreciated since at least the 8th century in Japan and cultivated for a long time across Japan (and in other countries, too). As a result, there currently exist about 250 types of Japanese camellias worldwide.  

2026/3/6

2026/3/6

Yaoyorozu No Kami (Eight Million Deities) - Everything Flows

I've been looking for some guidance in life for the last couple of years. I thought I would be able to find one in the teachings of True Pure Land Buddhism because I come from a family of the school, but I wasn't able to. The True Pure Land school teaches that enlightenment can be realized through "tariki" or "other power" but I don't believe in "other power" to attain enlightenment. 

Smiling Monkey Forest Tree (Magnolia Maudiae) ミヤマガンショウ（深山含笑）

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Smiling monkey forest trees (Magnolia maudiae) are native to China but can be found in some places in Tokyo (although not as often as you would find Yulan magnolias). 

I did research about why the magnolia is called "smiling monkey forest tree" but couldn't find any good origin of the name. Interestingly, its Japanese name translates into "smiling flowers in deep mountains." Maybe everyone seeing the flower is reminded of someone's or monkeys' smiling face. 

2026/2/28

2026/2/28

Cucumber Herb (Trigonotis Peduncularis) 胡瓜草（キュウリグサ）

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Small plants have woken up from winter sleep. These are cucumber herbs (Trigonotis peduncularis). Cucumber herbs are native to Asia, producing tiny flowers (0.2-0.3 cm in diameter) from March to May. Because of such tininess, they're invisible, often removed or trampled without being noticed. But no worries. Cucumber herbs are so hardy that they always survive, bringing you happiness.   

2026/2/28

2026/2/28

2026/2/28

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

2022/3/17

Taiwan Cherry Blossoms (Prunus Campanulata) カンヒザクラ（寒緋桜）

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Taiwan cherry (Prunus campanulata) is native to Japan, Taiwan, southern and eastern China, and Vietnam, blooming from January (in Okinawa; the southernmost and westernmost prefecture) to March (the mainland) in Japan. The blossoms are pink but much deeper than other cherry blossoms and are bell shaped, which is also different from others. 

Cherry blossoms usually mean Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms (Prunus x yedoensis) in mainland Japan but Taiwan cherry in Okinawa. Somei Yoshino and Taiwan cherry blossoms are quite different but both are beautiful respectively. 

2024/3/3

2024/3/3

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari) ムスカリ（葡萄風信子）

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Grape hyacinth (Muscari) is native to Eurasia but can be found across Japan, producing flowers from March to April in the country. Grape hyacinth is known to have blue purple flowers but some produce white or pink flowers. 

According to "A to Z Flowers," Muscari or grape hyacinth is a symbol of "power," "confidence," "mystery" and "creativity." In the Japanese language of flowers, however, the plant means "disappointment." 

2026/3/1