Claustrophobia and Claustrophilia - Camellia Sasanqua 閉所恐怖と閉所愛好 - 山茶花

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

A colleague of mine has claustrophobia. He avoids crowded elevators and trains, which is pretty difficult in Tokyo, but this ant seems to be trapped voluntarily in the center of this pink camellia sasanqua....

Homophones at Kameido Tenjin Shrine 亀戸天神と同音異義語

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

Japanese has many homophones, and I found two of those at Kameido Tenjin shrine in Tokyo. 

Kameido Tenjin shrine 亀戸天神

Ochna Serrulata (Mickey Mouse Plant) ミッキーマウスツリー

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

This is Ochna serrulata or Mickey Mouse plant in a greenhouse at Koishikawa Botanical Garden. So cute isn't it!!

Ochna serrulata オクナ・セルラタ

"Creepy Susie" and "The Greene Murder Case" 「クリーピー・スージー」と「グリーン家殺人事件」

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

Staying home for nearly nine months has turned my eyes to anything which can be removed from my house. So, I went to my husband's room to select books to be sold or donated and it was where I found "Creepy Susie and 13 Other Tragic Tales for Troubled Children."

Sterculia Brevissima ステルキュリア・ブレビッシマ

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

This is Sterculia brevissima at Koishikawa Botanical Garden in Tokyo. 

Sterculia brevissima ステルキュリア・ブレビッシマ

Color! Color! Color! - Koishikawa Botanical Garden 小石川植物園 - 色、色、色！

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

I went to Koishikawa Botanical Garden in Tokyo and found these color contrasts!

Amethyst deceiver ウラムラサキ

Great Grandma ひいおばあちゃん

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

One has four great grandmothers and four great grandfathers. I do, too, but I've never met any of them. Every one of them had died before I was born. However, I've often heard about one of them, that is, the mother of my maternal grandma. I don't know her name because everyone calls her just "Great Grandma" with some mixed feelings....

"Batman" Leaves 「バットマン」紅葉

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

What do you see when you look at the photos below? I see butterflies, moths, kites and red Batman😁

What do you see? 何に見えますか？

Goji Berry Vinegar クコの実酢

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

Goji berries are believed to protect against eye diseases and can help vision. Why haven't I tried them sooner?!!

 

Goji berries クコの実

Stewed Dates in Red Wine 棗の赤ワイン煮

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

One of my favorite ideas is that "medicine and food have the same origin." This is a Chinese concept that a good balanced diet keeps you healthy. Food may not "fix" your body as medicine does, but it definitely boosts your immune system and your skin and hair. So, I stewed dates in red wine and honey. 

Stewed dates in red wine and honey 棗の赤ワインはちみつ煮

A Vote (Irefuda) 入れ札

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If you still remember a book you read in your childhood, the book tells what you are. "Irefuda (A vote)" by Kan Kikuchi (1888-1948), a Japanese author, who established a publishing company and both the Akutagawa Prize and the Naoki Prize, the two most prestigious literature prizes in Japan, is one such book for me.

Japanese Anemone 秋明菊（シュウメイギク）

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

This is Anemone hupehensis or Japanese anemone. The whiteness of this flower caught my eye. 

Anemone hupehensis 秋明菊

Red, Yellow, and Pink Autumn Leaves 紅葉 - 赤、黄、ピンク

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It's autumn. Leaves have been turning red, yellow, and even pink.

Red fall leaves 真っ赤だな♪

"Prunus x Parvifolia Koehne (Winter Cherry)" Holds Store-Closing-Sale? 冬桜は閉店セール中！

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

This is Prunus x parvifolia Koehne, a cherry tree in bloom since October in my neighborhood.

Prunus x parvifolia Koehne 冬桜

Bladder or Rice Dumpling? - Silene Vulgaris (Bladder Campion) 白玉草（シラタマソウ）

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

This is silene vulgaris, bladder campion or maidenstears. I've fallen in love at first glance with this little white five-petaled flower (each petal is divided into two) with a greenish balloon😊

It took more than two weeks to find out what this flower is, and that was very unusual for me because I usually let it go if I cannot identify a flower in a week, but I couldn't do that for this flower. And finally, two weeks after I had first seen this, I found the name!!

Silene vulgaris シラタマソウ

Crepuscular Rays (God Rays) in Solitude 薄明光線

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

It was a chilly morning, and it had been a while since I'd last seen such beautiful God rays. 

About 6 a.m. 朝６時くらい

Ageratum Houstonianum (Flossflower) オオカッコウアザミ

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This is ageratum houstonianum, flossflower or bluemink. 

Ageratum Houstonianum and bee アゲラタムと蜂

Mateo Falcone マテオ・ファルコーネ

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

Books that still remain in your memory tell what you are. "Mateo Falcone" is one such book for me.

"Mateo Falcone" is a short story by Prosper Merimee about Mateo Falcone, a respected landlord in Corsica. Mateo killed his 10-year-old son Fortunato because Fortunato was a "traitor." Fortunato had told a soldier in exchange for a silver watch the whereabout of a fugitive coming to Mateo for help while Mateo had been away. Fortunato had first concealed the bandit in exchange for a silver coin, but afterwards, sold out him in exchange for the watch. (See this Wikipedia website for details.)

Lespedeza or Japanese clovers ピンクの萩

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This is lespedeza or Japanese clover in my neighborhood.

Lespedeza 萩の花

White Dahlia Means "Gratitude" 白いダリアの花言葉は「感謝」

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

This is dahlia in my neighborhood. I first thought it was a chrysanthemum and that was close. Dahlia is a member of the Asteraceae family and related to chrysanthemum. The only conspicuous difference between them is the shape of leaves. 

Dahlia ダリア

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

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

It took more than a month to find out what this flower is. This is Gaillardia pulchella, Indian blanket or sundance.

Gaillardia pulchella 天人菊

Chrysanthemums Are Cursed😱? 菊の呪い😱

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Chrysanthemums are special in Japan. The Imperial Seal of Japan is called the Chrysanthemum Seal and used by the Emperor of Japan and members of the Imperial Family. But for me, chrysanthemums are special in a different way, i.e., they always remind me of "The Inugami Clan" by Seishi Yokomizo (1902-1981), one of the most famous crime authors in Japan who created the private detective character Kosuke Kindaichi. 

 

Chrysanthemum 菊

Leopard Plant 石蕗（ツワブキ）

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These are Farfugium japonicum or leopard plants at Hibiya Park and in my neighborhood. Most flowers die in autumn, so finding these bright yellow flowers made me happy.

  

Farfugium japonicum 石蕗

Netsuke - Daruma and Tengu 根付 - だるまちゃんとてんぐちゃん

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These are little Daruma and Tengu netsuke sculptures at Tokyo National Museum. The Daruma netsuke was carved by Hoshu Yamagata from ivory and the Tengu netsuke by Omu Yoshida from also ivory. (For a definition of netsuke, see this post.)

"Daruma" by Hoshu Yamagata, ivory
「達磨」山形芳朱、象牙

Do It Now! - My Regret About Onigiri Action😭.... 終わってました😭 - おにぎりアクション

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An Instagram friend of mine often posted photos of onigiris or rice balls on Instagram to support Onigiri Action 2020. Onigiri Action 2020 is a campaign run by Table for Two in which one post of onigiri photo(s) provides five school meals. I agreed with their intent, but had done nothing until November 1 when I finally made my special onigiri, i.e., brown rice balls with sardine, ginger and mushroom, and took the pictures of them below...  

Brown rice onigiri of sardine, ginger, and mushroom 
鰯とショウガの玄米おにぎり

Netsuke - Halloween 根付 - ハロウィン

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

I am so busy that I completely forgot about the photo of this seasonal netsuke, "Halloween" by Toun Shishido.

"Halloween," Toun Shishido, macadamia nut and amber
「ハロウィン」宍戸濤雲、マカデミアナッツ、琥珀