Blood Type and Personality in Japan 血液型と性格

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

Japanese people often assume the personality of others based on the blood type because in Japan many believe that people with each blood type are said to have the following personality traits:

• A　　Down-to-earth and careful 
• B　　At their own pace, curious  
• O　　Positive and sociable
• AB　  Reasonable and two-faced   

Hearing people talking about the blood type always reminds me of one of the professors of the social psychology department at the university I went to.

2022 is the Year of the Tiger🐯! - Japanese Zodiac Signs 来年は寅年だ🐯！

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

These are trees made of stuffed animals of tigers currently on show at Tokyo International Forum. Every December, the facility displays trees of stuffed animals of the zodiac sign of the coming year and this year it has three tiger trees because 2022 is the Year of the Tiger🐯!!

The Japanese zodiac signs are the following 12 in this order, meaning that 2022 will be the Year of the Tiger and 2023 will be the Year of Rabbit, and 2021 was the Year of Ox and 2020 was the year of the Rat, and people born in the year of each sign are said to have the following personalities. (So, for example, if you were born in 2000, your zodiac sign is Dragon, so see 5 below!) 

1. 🐭 Rat - Be adaptable, resourceful, sociable, honest, calm, but nosy
2. 🐂 Ox - Be quiet, patient, at their own pace, but when angry, out of control 
3. 🐯 Tiger - Be romantic, brave, enjoy challenges, but stubborn and restless 
4. 🐇 Rabbit - Be graceful, quiet, sensitive, but moody and easily hurt
5. 🐉 Dragon - Be energetic and competitive, but short-tempered having high pride 
6. 🐍 Snake - Be considerate, funny, caring, but vindictive having high pride
7. 🐴 Horse - Be quick-witted, clever, speedy, clown-like, but self-centered  
8. 🐏 Sheep - Be thoughtful, compassionate, chic, but can't handle pressure well
9. 🐵 Monkey - Be street smart, popular, sensitive, likable, but restless and impatient  
10. 🐔 Rooster - Be intuitive, smart, methodical, but not tenacious and a quitter
11. 🐶 Dog - Be honest, clearheaded, have a strong sense of justice, but negative   
12. 🐗 Boar - Be conscientious, honest, caring, but short-tempered and rush recklessly

Have you found your zodiac sign and your personalities? By the way, the term "sheeple," i.e., a combination of the words sheep and people, is used in The Matrix Resurrections, to criticize those who want to be controlled without thinking for themselves. I was born in the Year of the Sheep, but definitely don't want to be controlled by anybody!😆 

If you're interested in such zodiac trees last year and the year before, read the posts about the Rat tree for 2020 and the Ox/Cow tree for 2021! 

2022 is the Year of the Tiger 来年は寅年

Ardisia Crenata F. Leucocarpa (White Coral Berry) 白実の万両（シロミノマンリョウ）

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

These are the fruits of ardisia crenata f. leucocarpa or more commonly known as white coral berry. 

I found them bright green in early August (4th photo), and I watched them for the following four months turning from green to creamy white believing that ultimately they would turn red until a few days ago when I learned that some coral berries produce white berries!!😂😆 

Ardisia crenata f. leucocarpa on December 26　白実の万両（12月26日）

White coral berry on December 26　シロミノマンリョウ（12月26日）

Late November 11月下旬

Early August 8月上旬

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白実の万両（シロミノマンリョウ）です。

8月に緑の実を見つけてそれから4カ月間ずっと、いつか赤くなるんだと信じて見続けました。先日、ネットで白い実を付ける万両があるって知るまでは！😂😆

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Women Can Wait but Men Can't!? 女は待てるが男は待てない！？

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Every year I'm busy from mid to late December because of work, but this year it was so hectic that I had to work on weekends. This means that my husband had to wait and spend time by himself. He's independent and would never complain, but I knew that he put up with that, hoping that I was able to finish work as soon as possible. 

Gardenia Jasminoides (Gardenia) 梔子（クチナシ）

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

These are the fruits of gardenia jasminoides or more commonly known as gardenia at Saigyo Inari Sha shrine in Tokyo. The shrine is so small that it's been in the premises of Akasaka Hikawa Jinja shrine in Tokyo since 1921 when it was transferred from the original place in the neighborhood.  

I first thought that they were small persimmons like diospyros rhombifolia (princess persimmon) or diospyros cathayensis Steward (cathay persimmon) I saw at Koishikawa Botanical Garden, but they don't hang on the tree like these persimmons but grow out of the stems. I googled and learned that they were gardenia. 

The plant is called "kuchi nashi," meaning "fruits with no mouth" because they don't crack. I've also learned they produce beautiful white flowers in June and July, which has added this small shrine to my bucket list of places to go next year!  

Gardenia クチナシ

Floats of Monkey, Cuckoo, and Minamoto at Akasaka Hikawa Shrine 赤坂氷川神社の山車（猿、閑古鳥、源頼義）

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

I saw these floats at Akasaka Hikawa Jinja shrine in Tokyo. The right one is the float of a cuckoo, which represents peace, and the center is the float of a monkey, which was regarded as the messenger of God. The left one is the float of Yoriyoshi Minamoto (988 - 1075), a head of Japan's Minamoto clan. I went to the shrine this weekend for "hatsumode," i.e., the Japanese tradition of visiting a shrine or temple for the first time in the New Year, to avoid crowds, and happened to see such gorgeous floats!!😊

Many shrines and temples in Tokyo had such floats, but have lost many of them in the Great Kanto Earthquake and WW2, and due to the discontinuation of festivals. The Akasaka Hikawa shrine isn't an exception. It organized a parade of 13 floats to protect the community, but losing four, it currently has nine, including these three. (Source: Akasaka Float Preservation Society)   

I went to Kyoto (i.e., Japanese capital before Tokyo) once or twice a year before the pandemic and saw many floats in the Gion Matsuri festival, i.e., an annual event during July in Kyoto, which is one of the most famous and largest festivals in Japan using dozens of floats, but I didn't know that Tokyo also had similar events.

Floats of Akasaka Hikawa shrine; "Yoriyoshi (left)," "Monkey (center)," and "Cuckoo"
赤坂氷川神社の山車 左から「源頼義」、「猿」、「閑古鳥」

Daphniphyllum Macropodum 楪（ユズリハ）

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The contrast between the bright red stems, the deep green leaves, and the bluish black fruits is so stark and beautiful. This is daphniphyllum macropodum.

I first thought that the shrub was elaeocarpus sylvestris (or woodland elaeocarpus) because the leaves looked very similar and the fruits also resembled each other, but since about one month ago, they have started to show a clear difference. Daphniphyllum macropodum's fruits have become black while woodland elaeocarpus' are still green. Then I found a tree label on one of the daphniphyllum macropodum trees.

Daphniphyllum macropodum has the Japanese name "yuzuriha," meaning "giving/offering leaf" after the fact that older leaves drop in spring after the shrub starts to grow new leaves, which looks like older leaves offering their places to younger ones. Survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami were reported to have helped each other by giving and offering food and water to each other. Some may find it naïve and I may not be able to be that generous in similar circumstances but such a spirit of caring, sharing, and helping each other may be needed most now. 

Daphniphyllum macropodum 楪

Daphniphyllum macropodum ユズリハ

Camellia Sinensis (Tea Plant) 茶の木（アッサムチャ）

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

These adorable white flowers of about 2 cm in diameter caught my eye. They're camellia sinensis with common names including "tea plant" at the Koishikawa Botanical Garden in Tokyo. The tea plant is in the camellia genus. The fact that the camellia flower can be that small surprised me.  

"Tea" always means green tea for me because my late maternal grandma ran a Japanese green tea shop by herself after losing her husband (i.e., my grandad), and I often helped her package tea leaves on summer and winter vacation. So, I've seen a variety of green tea leaves (yes, there are many types of green tea leaves from very expensive one, such as gyokuro or jade dew, to standard sencha green tea), but I've never seen tea plant trees or flowers. 

Because of a decrease in green tea drinking in Japan, the store sales declined and her youngest daughter (i.e., my aunt) closed the business. Ironically, Grandma didn't drink (and might not like) green tea so much. She had coffee and cheese every morning for breakfast, and I also have café au lait and cheese every morning these days...😆

The garden, about 40 acres in Central Tokyo, was opened by the Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century to grow medicinal herbs. In 1877, after the Meiji Restoration, it became a part of Tokyo Imperial University and currently the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science.

Camellia sinensis 茶の木

Halesia Carolina (Carolina Silverbell) 亜米利加麻殻（アメリカアサガラ）

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

The four-winged brown things hanging on trees first caught my eye. These are the fruits (or seed pods) of Halesia carolina or more commonly known as Carolina silverbell or little silverbell at the Koishikawa Botanical Garden in Tokyo.

You may be wondering why they are called "silverbell," but you should understand if you see the flowers. Carolina silverbell flowers, which bloom from April to June in Japan, are white and bell shaped, looking like silver bells!! 

So, of course, I need to come to the garden again next year to see the pretty bells, but these brown fruits, which were almost dying, made me feel content in solitude.

The garden, about 40 acres in Central Tokyo, was opened by the Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century to grow medicinal herbs. In 1877, after the Meiji Restoration, it became a part of Tokyo Imperial University and currently the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science. The admission fee is JPY500 (i.e., about USD4.5) for adults.

Halesia Carolina 亜米利加麻殻

Carolina silverbell アメリカアサガラ

Fruit of Pseudocydonia Sinensis (Chinese Quince) 花梨（カリン）の実

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

These are the fruits of pseudocydonia sinensis (Chinese quince) I got from the Koishikawa Botanical Garden in Tokyo. Last week I went there and found a box of Chinese quinces at the entrance. The garden was distributing them for free. I took two and made jam (2nd photo)! 

I took the quinces for a reason. There is a Chinese quince tree in my neighborhood, and I saw the fruits hanging on the tree and lying on the ground last year and this year and wanted to have one or two to make jam. But the tree is on the roadside. Taking one without consent to the owner (who?) may be illegal... So, when finding the fruits being distributed at the garden, I was excited at the idea of being able to finally make Chinese quince jam!!

The jam is sour and slightly bitter at first, but in a week, the bitterness should disappear (according to the internet), so I put my jam in the fridge. I really look forward to eating it!

Pseudocydonia sinensis 花梨

Chinese quince jam カリンジャム

Diospyros Rhombifolia (Princess Persimmon) 老鴉柿（ロウヤガキ）

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

These are the fruits of diospyros rhombifolia or commonly known as princess persimmon at the Koishikawa Botanical Garden in Tokyo. A few days ago, I wrote about diospyros cathayensis Steward (cathay persimmon). Both trees were side by side and the fruits resemble each other, so without the plant labels, I would have thought they were the same tiny persimmons. But there's an obvious difference between the two, which I couldn't see at that time. Princess persimmon is deciduous while cathay persimmon is evergreen. (Take a look at the second picture!)

The garden, about 40 acres in Central Tokyo, was opened by the Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century to grow medicinal herbs. In 1877, after the Meiji Restoration, it became a part of Tokyo Imperial University and currently the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science. The admission fee is JPY500 (i.e., about USD4.5) for adults.

Diospyros rhombifolia 老鴉柿（ロウヤガキ）

Japanese Maple Autumn Leaves 楓の紅葉（カエデ）

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

These are Japanese maple leaves at the Koishikawa Botanical Garden in Tokyo. As the fall foliage season was almost over, I thought autumn leaves had mostly fallen. So, it was a happy surprise to see many trees still showing such beautiful yellow, orange and red leaves against the blue sky! The trees at the garden are all large, so I was able to take many pictures of these leaves from below (first 3 photos).

The Koishikawa Botanical Garden, a garden about 40 acres in Central Tokyo, was opened by the Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century to grow medicinal herbs. In 1877, after the Meiji Restoration, it became a part of Tokyo Imperial University and currently the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science. The admission fee is JPY500 (i.e., about USD4.5) for adults.

From below

From below

From below

Diospyros Cathayensis Steward (Cathay Persimmon) 四川常盤柿（シセントキワガキ）

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

These are the fruits of diospyros cathayensis Steward at the Koishikawa Botanical Garden. 

I first thought they were kumquats but when getting closer, I found they weren't. They're a little smaller than ping pong balls, i.e., almost the same size as kumquats, but the color and skin texture are different. Then, I realized that they were persimmons! They're "mini," but, according to information on the internet, edible and sweet😊.  

The Koishikawa Botanical Garden, a garden about 40 acres in Central Tokyo, was opened by the Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century to grow medicinal herbs. In 1877, after the Meiji Restoration, it became a part of Tokyo Imperial University and currently the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science. The admission fee is JPY500 (i.e., about USD4.5) for adults. 

Diospyros cathayensis steward 2 cm in diameter 直径2センチぐらいの四川常盤柿

They're edible! 食べられますよ！

Large Ginkgo Trees 大きな銀杏の木

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

These are ginkgo trees at the Koishikawa Botanical Garden. The garden, about 40 acres in Central Tokyo, was opened by the Tokugawa shogunate in the 17th century to grow medicinal herbs. In 1877, after the Meiji Restoration, it became a part of Tokyo Imperial University and currently the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Science.

Yellow ginkgo leaves have been everywhere across Japan for the last month, and I thought I'd seen enough of them this year, but the trees in the garden were exceptional, so large (i.e., as tall as 30 feet or taller?) and breathtaking!

Ginkgo trees at Koishikawa Botanical Garden 小石川植物園の銀杏

Triadica Sebifera (Chinese Tallow) 南京櫨（ナンキンハゼ）

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

This is triadica sebifera or more commonly known as Chinese tallow. I love this tree because of its deep green leaves in summer, white seeds in dark brown fruits in early fall, and such beautiful leaves of red, orange, yellow, and green like a curtain in late autumn!! 

In Japan, people tend to focus on Japanese maple leaves in autumn as suggested by the fact that the Japanese term meaning Japanese maple tree ("momiji") means not only the tree but also general autumn leaves, but the maple tree isn't the only tree with beautiful foliage. So, I have listed my three favorite trees below! What do you like the best? What's your favorite tree?

• Liquidambar styraciflua (American sweetgum)
• Acer palmatum (Japanese maple)
• Chinese tallow 

12/2 Triadica sebifera 南京櫨

12/2 

Humulus Lupulus (Common Hop) 西洋唐花草（ホップ）

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

These are the flowers of humulus lupulus or more commonly known as (common) hop. The shape is unique and the pale green color is so beautiful! I first thought they were the flowers of carpinus japonica (i.e., Japanese hornbeam), i.e., the flowers I saw in May which are very similar to hop's, but the flower size and shape (though slightly) as well as the leaf shape are different. After googling, I've concluded that they're hop!

Needless to say, the female fruits from hop are used to preserve and flavor beer, but to tell you the truth, I haven't drunk beer for many years because beer is too bitter for me😂! I hope someday I'll be mature enough to appreciate the taste of beer...😅

Common hop ホップ

Humulus lupulus 西洋唐花草

Fall Foliage - Acer Palmatum (Japanese Maple) 紅葉（モミジ）

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

These are the leaves of acer palmatum or commonly known as Japanese maple. Their brilliant red color is breathtaking. And needless to say, I love these beautiful fall leaves, but I love them more when looking at them from below because from below, they're translucent reddish orange against the blue sky.  

Late November to early December is the peak of fall foliage in Japan, and after that, winter will kick in. People are busy toward the end of the year, being excited about several upcoming events, i.e., celebrating Christmas with family and friends, which is a Christian event, listening with family to the sound of bells rung in Buddhist temples 108 times on New Year's Eve, i.e., a Buddhist event, and visiting a temple or shrine at New Year, i.e., a Buddhist/Shinto event. 

Whether or not this is diverse and inclusive, or unprincipled or atheistic, it's up to you, but please don't blame me who have already started to prepare for these events by buying wine, sake, stollen, roasted chicken, and many ingredients to make osechi, i.e., traditional Japanese New Year's food!  

 

Acer palmatum leaves are brilliantly red!! 真っ赤な紅葉！

Japanese maple leaves from below 下から