Tricyrtis Macropoda ヤマホトトギス（山杜鵑草）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are Tricyrtis macropoda and Tricyrtis formosana 'Samurai' (maybe... 😅). I saw Tricyrtis macropoda at the Mukojima Hyakkaen Garden and the latter in my neighborhood, both here in Tokyo.

Ginkgo or Passion Flower - That's the Question イチョウの花、トケイソウの花

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

What's this? A ginkgo flower? To me, it looks like a passiflora caerulea or common passion flower...

It's among ginkgo leaves イチョウの葉の間に発見

The only flower.... これ一つ｡｡｡

Ginkgo tree and fruit 銀杏の実

I couldn't first believe my eyes. It was like a passion flower or "clock flower" in Japanese. I googled to find out what this flower was, but only found that ginkgo flowers, male or female, did not look like this at all.

Ginkgo always reminds me of a former coworker, an American very popular among women. On that day, we came back to the office from a client, finding ginkgo trees with leaves turned into beautiful golden yellow but with no nuts and therefore which didn't stink. This means that all these trees were male. When I said that, he was so amazed, so I went on to ask, "Would you be sad if you had no women around you?" I knew that he thought he was attractive, and I do not like such men.....😁

Raw ginkgo nuts stink, but are delicious once roasted and of course go well with beer, highball, wine and sake😆 Autumn has come with many seasonal foods!!

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近所で見かけました。何の花に見えますか。私には時計草にしか見えません。でもこれはイチョウの木｡｡｡ 家でググったのですが結局分かりませんでした｡｡｡

イチョウといえば臭い｡｡｡ 昔、同僚とオフィスに戻った時のことです。会社の近くにイチョウ並木があり黄金色の花がとてもきれい。全く臭くなかったので何気に「ギンナンがないってことはこの辺の木は全部オスなんですね」と言ったらえらく感動されたので、さらに「メスがいないと寂しいでしょうね」と言ったらどぎまぎしてました。自分はイケテルという自覚が非常に強い方でした😁

秋です。食欲の秋です。ギンナンでチクッといきたいです😆

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Snake Gourd and Bottle Gourd 蛇瓜（ヘビウリ）と瓢箪

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Wow!! It's long, isn't it? This is a snake gourd I saw at Mukojima Hykkaen Garden, Tokyo. 

   

Looks like a snake! 確かに蛇！

Prime Minister Suga is "Uncle Pancake"! 菅首相はパンケーキおじさん！

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a "pancake" I found on the ground😁 Oops sorry! This is a mushroom I found at Mukojima Hykkaen Garden, Tokyo.

A pancake with melted butter and maple syrup?
バターとメープルシロップたっぷりパンケーキ？

Aulacophora Nigripennis on Bottle Gourd クロウリハムシとヘチマ

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I've been observing trees which I believe are bottle gourd for the last month to obtain evidence that they are really bottle gourd, not other gourds, such as cucumber, pumpkin or zucchini, and a few days ago, at last, I've got evidence, i.e., two bottle gourds hanging from one of the trees! And I also found this tiny but beautiful black and orange bug, Aulacophora nigripennis.

Aulacophora nigripennis on bottle gourd bud
ヘチマのつぼみとクロウリハムシ

One of the bottle gourds I found 見つけたヘチマの一つ

The other one 二本目

Bottle gourd flower へちまの花

I can't explain why but wanted badly evidence that they were really bottle gourd, but couldn't get any proof for more than a month, just finding yellow flowers, but it was worth to wait!! The 1cm bug holding on to the yellow bud was so kawaii!! 😊

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ウリ科の花は似ています。だからこの花もへちまと信じつつ、証拠をずっと探してました（つまり実がなるのを待ってました）。そして昨日やっと２本のヘチマを発見。しかもちっちゃい虫も！

クロウリハムシというそうです。害虫だそうですがしがみついている姿がカワイイ😊です。

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Inro (Medicine Case) 菊花蝶象嵌印籠

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This white case, measuring 6 cm long by 3 cm wide, is an inro (medicine case) featuring a chrysanthemum and butterfly design. Crafted in 19th-century Japan, it showcases Shibayama inlay—a lacquer art form distinguished by high-relief carved inlays made of shell, coral, tortoiseshell, and ivory.

Ofuku (Netsuke) & Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savory Pancake) 阿福（根付）とオタフクソース

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This 3cm ivory netsuke sculpture is titled 'Ofuku.' Ofuku is the female version of a comical Japanese character with large cheeks and a joyful smile. She is often portrayed as a mask used in traditional Japanese theater, such as Noh, Bunraku, and Kyogen.

Blue Tail of Plestiodon Japonicus (Japanese Skink) ニホントカゲの青いしっぽ

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I saw this lizard at the garden of Tokyo National Museum. I wouldn't have noticed it if it hadn't run. 

  

Plestiodon japonicus or Japanese skink
ニホントカゲ

Its blue tail is so beautiful! 青いしっぽがきれい！

This is Plestiodon japonicus or Japanese skink. It was 10 to 15 cm long and very agile, and its bright blue tail was breathtakingly beautiful!   

I went to the museum to see netsuke and artefacts, so finding this beautiful living thing was an unexpected happy surprise.

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東京国立博物館の庭園で見かけたニホントカゲ（？）です。足下を何かがさっと動いたので気づきました。青く光る尾がとてもきれい🥰 根付や工芸品を見に博物館に行ったはずが、こんなきれいなトカゲに会えるなんて、想定外のラッキーでした。

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Fruits of Japanese Camellia and Japanese Snowbell ツバキとエゴノキの実

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I've often seen fruits recently. Do you know what they are?

  

It's not an apple! リンゴじゃありません！

But look like apples from a distance... 遠くからだとリンゴ｡｡｡

They are camellia fruits, which really surprised me. I didn't know that Japanese camellia bears such pretty fruits. The next question is below. Do you know what these fruits are? 

Their shape is like cherries 形はサクランボ

Is autumn coming? 秋の気配？

These are fruits of styrax japonica or Japanese snowbell, a pretty name, isn't it? But it's not like that in Japanese. Japanese snowbell is called "Egonoki," meaning "egui tree" or "acrid tree" after its taste. And it's actually not only acrid but also poisonous....😱 Japanese snowbell is another example of "Don't be fooled by the appearance" plants....

"Egui" originally means only acrid, but has changed to have various meanings, such as terrible, gross, and even ewww... People change and words change, too.... 

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赤い実は椿の実。椿がこんなリンゴみたいな実を付けるなんて知りませんでした。

緑のちっちゃいのはエゴノキの実。名前の由来は実の味が「えぐい」からだそうです。英語では「Japanese snowbell」。英語の方が圧倒的にカワイイ！でも実の味はえぐく、有毒だそうです。人、じゃなくて植物も見かけによりません😱

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Dear Bugs! Hello Stupid Me! 危険な虫とおバカな私

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I'm not much interested in insects, but have seen many of them recently.....

Is it a hornet? スズメバチ？

Bee? ミツバチ？

What are they? 何の虫？

Moth? 蛾？

Curiosity killed the cat and ignorance could have killed me.... The orange and black insect in the first photo was so beautiful, that, when finding it, I naturally took pictures of it, being slightly concerned that it might be dangerous, but denying the possibility.... I was stupid....😱

I'd never thought that I could be that stupid. I've bought an insect repellent and decided not be near bugs I can't identify. Again, I didn't know that I could be so stupid until I started taking pictures for this blog...😞 

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最近よく虫を見かけます｡｡｡ 一枚目はスズメバチでしょうか。危ないかも｡｡｡と思いながら写真撮りました。家でググったらやっぱりスズメバチっぽい😱 自分がこんなにおバカだとは知りませんでした😞

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Netsuke "Fukurokuju God" (By Seiho Azuma) 根付「福禄寿」（東声方）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a boxwood netsuke of Fukurokuju, carved by Seiho Azuma.

Fukurokuju, one of Japan's Seven Lucky Gods, is the god of wisdom, luck, longevity, wealth, and happiness, and is characterized by a head that is almost as large as his entire body. He originated in China.