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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

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

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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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」

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

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These adorable white flowers, about 2 cm in diameter, caught my eye. They are Camellia sinensis, commonly known as the 'tea plant,' which I saw at the Koishikawa Botanical Garden in Tokyo. The tea plant belongs to the camellia genus, and I was surprised by how small a camellia flower could be.

'Tea' has always meant green tea to me because my late maternal grandmother ran a Japanese green tea shop by herself after my grandfather passed away. I often helped her package tea leaves during my summer and winter vacations. As a result, I’ve seen a wide variety of green tea leaves—from very expensive ones like gyokuro (jade dew) to standard sencha—but I had never seen the actual tea plants or their flowers before.

Because of a decrease in green tea drinking in Japan, store sales declined and her youngest daughter (i.e., my aunt) closed the business. Ironically, Grandma didn't drink (and might not have liked) green tea very 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 (i.e., 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

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！

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