Japan Has Many "Velvet Fists in Iron Gloves" 日本は「内柔外剛」型

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

I learned the phrase "an iron fist (hand) in a velvet glove" from the CEO of the company which I used to work for. He said one day when we were heading to a conference room that he always wanted to be "an iron fist in a velvet glove." I believe he was. He did what he had to do without yelling at anybody. He always smiled as far as I remember. Japanese employees who first presumed him to be only a young, inexperienced foreigner and therefore to have no guts to take any bold actions, just staying in Japan for a few years and moving to another country, were shocked by a series of measures he took to reorganize the company.  

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

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

This is magnolia heptapeta, lilytree or Yulan magnolia. The white color against the blue sky is so beautiful!!

 Magnolia heptapeta 白木蓮

Japanese Women Can Be Sexist - The Discriminated Can Become The Discriminator 女版「森元総理」

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

Gender discrimination has been a hot issue in Japan "thanks to" a former prime minister Yoshiro Mori's sexist remark*.

* Mori said on February 3 at a Japan Olympic Committee Council meeting, “Women have a strong sense of rivalry. If one (female) member raises her hand to speak, all the others feel the need to speak too. Everyone ends up saying something.”

Many Japanese criticized Mori, and a s a result, he stepped down as the president of Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee and has been replaced by the then Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto, a female ex-Olympic athlete who competed in seven Summer and Winter Olympics as a cyclist and a skater. Are you happy with this ending, i.e., a man, who is generally sexist, has been replaced by a woman, who cannot be sexist? If you feel that way, you're naive!!

Hellebores Fight Against Dogs クリスマスローズ、犬と闘う

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

They are all hellebores. I didn't know that my neighborhood had a place where so many hellebores were planted!! I love these flowers because their petals are translucent. 

Here is a question. What is the nemesis of hellebores and someone taking pictures of them? The answer is dogs🐕!! They pee on these flowers, making it very difficult for me to take all these photos... Dear doggies, please don't pee on flowers😂! 

Hope you enjoy the 29 photos of these pretty white, pink, purple, and white cream hellebores😊!! 

Henbit Deadnettle - Small Things Can Make A Big Difference! ホトケノザ - ちっちゃいことから変えていこう！

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

This is lamium amplexicaule or more commonly henbit deadnettle (or common henbit or greater henbit), one of my favorite flowers! So tiny (about 1 cm) and pretty isn't it!

Lamium amplexicaule 仏の座

White and Red Japanese Camellia 紅白椿

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

You may often see red Japanese camellia flowers but how about white ones? 

White Japanese camellia 白い椿

Something You should Do Alone 一人で歩きます！

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

Many things need, or are better to have, two or more people. "Tea for two" needs two. You may like to have meals with someone rather than eating alone. But when it comes to going for a walk, I wanna say this out loud. "YOU SHOULD WALK ALONE!!!" 

Narcissus Tazetta 'Grand Monarque' グランドモナーク（水仙）

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

They look like narcissus tazetta (bunch-flowered narcissus) or narcissus papyraceus (paperwhite), but the colors of the petals (creamy white) and corolla (pale yellow) are slightly different from those of these narcissuses. I believe this is narcissus tazetta 'Grand Monarque.' 

Narcissus tazetta 'Grand Monarque' 房咲き水仙の1種「グランドモナーク」

Half & Half Colored Japanese Apricot (White & Pink)! 白とピンクのハーフ＆ハーフの梅？

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

I knew that pink and white prunus mume flowers bloom on a tree, but looking at a Japanese apricot tree blooming with not only pink and white flowers but also this "half & half" colored flower in person, was amazing enough to make me run toward the tree.

A half and half colored Japanese apricot flower ハーフ＆ハーフ？

Mahonia Japonica Wards Off Evil Spirit 柊南天は魔除け

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

This is mahonia Japonica. Although the name suggests this plant is native to Japan, it's actually from Taiwan. The flower's pale yellow color is tender, creating a contrast with sharply toothed leaves. 

Mahonia Japonica flowers 柊南天の花

Narcissus Papyraceus (Paperwhite) 白花水仙（ペーパーホワイト）

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

This is narcissus papyraceus or more commonly paperwhite, the fourth type of narcissus I've ever seen this year following:

- narcissus tazetta (commonly bunch-flowered narcissus); 

- narcissus pseudonarcissus (or wild daffodil or Lent lily); and 

- narcissus tazetta odoru (or Grand Soleil d'Or). 

Of the four, paperwhite is the whitest as suggested by its name!

Narcissus papyraceus 白花水仙

Primrose Jasmine Has A Pitiful Japanese Name 雲南黄梅（オウバイモドキ）

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

This is jasminum mesnyi, or more commonly primrose jasmine or Japanese jasmine. The lemon yellow was so pretty that it cheered me up!

Jasminum mesnyi 雲南黄梅

Use Daphne Odora (Winter Daphne) for COVID-19 Tesing! 沈丁花でコロナ検査？

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

This is daphne odora or winter daphne, a sign of spring. 

Daphne odora buds 沈丁花の蕾

Narcissus Tazetta Odoru (Grand Soleil d'Or) Are Dancing😜? 踊る黄房水仙😜?

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

They are narcissus tazetta odoru or Grand Soleil d'Or. The yellow petals combined with orange corollas are so bright. 

Narcissus tazetta odoru 黄房水仙

Rosemary - Remember Fukushima! ローズマリー -「福島」を忘れない！

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

This is salvia rosmarinus or commonly known rosemary. 

Salvia rosmarinus ローズマリー

Chaenomeles Speciosa (Flowering Quince) 木瓜（ボケ）

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This is chaenomeles speciosa, or more commonly flowering quince, Chinese quince, or Japanese quince. The red color is so pretty, isn't it!!

Chaenomeles speciosa 木瓜

Vinca Major/Minor - A Sign of Spring and Hay Fever😂 （姫？）ツルニチニチソウ - 春と花粉症の訪れ😂

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

This is vinca major or more commonly bigleaf periwinkle or large periwinkle, or vinca minor or commonly lesser periwinkle or dwarf periwinkle. It's been rare to find new flowers recently. They must be a sign of spring!

Vinca major or vinca minor 姫か？姫じゃないのか？

Either Way It’s Wrong, Mr. Mori! どちらにしろ間違ってますよ、森さん！

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

The chief of Tokyo Olympic organizing committee Yoshiro Mori's sexist remark* has caused an angry backlash, but we shouldn't overlook another appalling remark by a Japanese man to support Mori. The man said on Twitter, "It's terrible to criticize an elderly and sick person who works without compensation." 

* Mori said on February 3 at a Japan Olympic Committee Council meeting, “Women have a strong sense of rivalry. If one (female) member raises her hand to speak, all the others feel the need to speak too. Everyone ends up saying something.”

A Wife Wants To Be Free... 自由になりたい妻

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

Everyone wants to be free from COVID-19, but that person wants to be free from something else more than anything..... 

Prunus Mume Buds - Not Rivalry But Democracy 白梅 - 「競争心」じゃなく「民主主義」だから発言するんです！

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

I found two white prunus mume (or Japanese apricot) trees planted side-by-side in my neighborhood, surprising me because the buds of WHITE prunus mume are not white but PINK. 

WHITE prunus mume's buds 白梅の蕾

Narcissus Pseudonarcissus is Called "Trumpet Daffodil" 喇叭水仙（ラッパズイセン）📯

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

This is narcissus pseudonarcissus or more commonly wild daffodil or Lent lily. I found this yellow flower on its own in my neighborhood. Wild daffodil is called "trumpet daffodil📯" in Japanese due to the shape of its corolla.

Narcissus pseudonarcissus 喇叭水仙 

Erica Colorans 'White Delight' エリカ・ホワイト・デライト

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

This is erica colorans 'White Delight' or erica 'White Delight' I saw in my neighborhood a few weeks ago. The color was so pure and pretty that I approached the flowers without noticing.

Erica colorans "White Delight" エリカ・ホワイト・デライト

Narcissus Tazetta (Bunch-Flowered Narcissuses) Are Watching You.... 房咲き水仙 - 見てますよ｡｡｡

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

They are narcissus tazetta or more commonly paperwhite, bunch-flowered narcissus/daffodil, or Chinese sacred lily. I love narcissuses/daffodils. They are pretty, but too many of them in one place are a bit scary, reminding me of something completely different, like Hattifatteners....

Narcissus tazetta is pretty, but... かわいいけど｡｡｡

Netsuke/Ojime "Globe" 根付、緒締め「地球儀」

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

These are a netsuke (left, about 3 cm tall) and an ojime at Tokyo National Museum, both titled "Globe" and made by Kinuyo Hariya from mother-of-pearl and gold maki-e.   

Netsuke (left) and ojime "Globe" by Kinuyo Hariya, mother-of-pearl and gold makie
針谷絹代作「地球儀、（緒締）地球儀」蝶貝螺鈿、蒔絵

Waterfowl Shaped Box 白玉水禽形合子

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This is a box in the shape of waterfowl at Tokyo National Museum, carved from white jade in the 19th century in the Qing dynasty period. 

Box in shape of waterfowl, 19th century, Qing dynasty 白玉水禽形合子 清時代

Rabbit Shaped White Jade Container 白玉兎合子

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This is a container in the shape of a rabbit at Tokyo National Museum, carved from white jade in the 18th to 19th century in the Qing dynasty period.  

Container in shape of rabbit, 18th to 19th century, Qing dynasty 白玉兎合子 清

An Unsolved Mystery - Why Did My Temperature Rise to 104°F? なぜ40度の熱が？

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

I took coronavirus testing finally. I said finally because generally in Japan you can't take the test unless you have COVID-19 symptoms. 

Helleborus Orientalis (Lenten Rose) Changes Its Name 寒芍薬（クリスマスローズ）は百面相？

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This is helleborus orientalis or more commonly lenten rose in my neighborhood. 

Helleborus orientalis 寒芍薬

Red & White Prunus Mume (Japanese Apricot) 紅白梅

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

Since Japan declared the state of emergency, I haven't gone out unless for absolutely essential reasons, but that day, I needed to go to a hospital to have a regular medical checkup, and found red and white Japanese apricot trees planted side by side near the hospital. It was cold that day and I hate the checkup, but it was worthwhile. Look at the striking contrast between the red and white Japanese apricot flowers and the blue sky!!

Red prunus mume 紅梅