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。

Plants attract you by many things, e.g., color, smell, or taste. Silene vulgaris or bladder campion attracts me by its flower shape, which is represented in its Japanese name "shiratama plant," meaning "small mochi dumpling plant." The dumplings are used to make traditional Japanese sweets, often served with sweet red bean paste. My mom made fruit punch including shiratama mochi dumplings for my birthday when I was a kid.

  

Next day, I went there again to see the flowers, finding everything around there, not only weeds but also the bladder campion, had all been got rid of and replaced by other plants😂.  

Silene vulgaris 白玉草

Netsuke "Mermaid" 人魚木彫根付

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a 19th-century wooden netsuke shaped like a mermaid, measuring 4 to 5 cm long, housed at the Tokyo National Museum. Its carver is unknown.

I was surprised by this netsuke because it's not what I imagined a mermaid to look like. (It doesn't look like the Little Mermaid at all!) I googled it and was even more surprised to find that in Japan, The Nihon Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan) referred to mermaids as early as the 6th century. Japan also has a legendary Buddhist nun who lived to be 800 years old by eating the flesh of a mermaid. Wow, the concept of a mermaid varies significantly from country to country!　

A netsuke is a small carved ornament, especially of ivory or wood, worn as part of Japanese traditional dress as a toggle by which an article may be attached to the sash of a kimono (Source: Lexico). If you love netsuke, check out this list of dozens of items!

Netsuke "Mermaid" 人魚木彫根付

A List of Netsuke 根付のリスト

日本語リストはこちら。

This is a list of netsuke posted on this blog.

Fruits of Ilex Integra (Elegance Female Holly)? モチノキの実？

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

These "may be" the fruits of Ilex integra or more commonly the elegance female holly or mochi tree at the Tokyo National Museum. I said "may be" because I'm not sure...

Many of the fruits were scattered on the ground before turning red. The unusual weather may be why. This year, the rainy season ended in late June, nearly one month earlier than usual and it became extremely hot. Then the rainy weather came back.   

Looking at these fruits made me (wrongly😅) feel autumn was coming for a second until I found several mosquitos biting me🦟. The real summer has yet to come...

Fruits of Ilex integra? モチノキの実？

Elegance female holly? モチノキの実？

Don't Stand Out! - An Orange and Black Caterpillar イモムシくん、目立ち過ぎでしょ！

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

Some areas in my neighborhood have been redeveloped, meaning everything on the ground is got rid of regularly to create space new high-rise residential or commercial buildings. I found this caterpillar in one such area. But don't underestimate the strength of weeds (which is why I love them)! They've grown so fast that now the area is a haven for not only weeds but also bugs including this beautiful orange and black caterpillar. My only concern is that it could attract unwanted attraction from predators because of such conspicuousness (2nd photo). 

Netsuke "Kappa and Clam" 河童蛤角彫根付

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a 19th-century ivory netsuke of a 'Kappa and Clam' from the Tokyo National Museum. Carved by an unknown artist, it measures between 4 to 5 cm in length.

Size-wise, this netsuke feels off because the clam is huge or the kappa is tiny. Kappa—Japanese legendary creatures—are human-like except for their green skin, webbed hands and feet, turtle-like shells, and the water-filled dish on their heads. They supposedly die if the dish dries out or breaks. They’re also famously fond of cucumbers🥒, so this little guy must prefer clams instead.

A netsuke is a small carved ornament, especially of ivory or wood, worn as part of Japanese traditional dress as a toggle by which an article may be attached to the sash of a kimono (Source: Lexico). If you love netsuke, check out this list of dozens of items!

Netsuke "Kappa and Clam"  河童蛤角彫根付

Fruits of Kousa Dogwood (Cornus Kousa) 山法師の実

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

These are fruits of Cornus kousa or more commonly kousa dogwood or Japanese dogwood. It's known that white and pink kousa dogwood flowers are beautiful but its fruits are also pretty. The thing is that this year, the rainy season in Japan finished in late June, i.e., nearly one month earlier than usual, it became extremely hot right after the rainy season, like 40°C or 104°F, and now kousa dogwood trees, which usually produce fruits in September, have started to fruit much earlier than usual. What will happen next?    

Kousa dogwood 山法師

Cornus kousa ヤマボウシ

Netsuke "Kappa" 根付「河童」

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a netsuke of a kappa by Kenji Abe at the Tokyo National Museum. It is about 5 cm tall and carved from ivory and tortoiseshell.

Kappa are Japanese legendary creatures. They are green, human-like beings with webbed hands and feet, a turtle-like carapace on their backs, and a water-holding dish on their heads—though a carved netsuke might be cream-white if made from ivory. They are said to die if the dish dries out or breaks, and they are famously fond of cucumbers.

The kappa is the corporate mascot of a sake brewery in Kyoto. I planned to go to their restaurant, Kizakura Kappa Country, this past summer, but I had to cancel the trip because of rising Covid-19 cases 😂.

A netsuke is a small carved ornament, especially of ivory or wood, worn as part of Japanese traditional dress as a toggle by which an article may be attached to the sash of a kimono (Source: Lexico). If you love netsuke, check out this list of dozens of items!

Netsuke "Kappa" by Kenji Abe　阿部賢次作「河童」

Cutleaf Evening Primrose (Oenothera Laciniata) コマツヨイグサ（小松宵草）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Cutleaf evening primrose (Oenothera laciniata) is native to North America, came to Japan at the end of 19th century and can now be found across Japan. Cutleaf evening primrose and fragrant evening primrose resemble each other and both turn orange as they wither but there's a big difference, that is, size, i.e., Cutleaf evening primrose is much smaller than fragrant evening primrose. Cutleaf evening primrose's Japanese name is "komatsuyoigusa," which translates into "small Oenothera." Easy to remember!  

2022/7/8

Vitex Rotundifolia (Beach Vitex) 浜栲（ハマゴウ）

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

These're the flowers of Vitex rotundifolia or beach vitex. I love their beautiful pale blue purple color so much that I bought a T-shirt of the same color😆!! 

Vitex rotundifolia 浜栲

Hibiscus Hamabo 浜朴（ハマボウ）

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

Hibiscuses in various colors have started to bloom in my neighborhood and this is my favorite, Hibiscus hamabo or hardy yellow hibiscus. I love the stark contrast between its lemon yellow petals and deep red flower center. (And don't forget that in autumn the leaves beautifully turn yellow, red and reddish purple!)

Hibiscus hamabo 浜朴

Cophinopoda Chinensis 青眼虻（アオメアブ）

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

This is Cophinopoda chinensis. Its iridescent eyes were so beautiful that I was completely absorbed while taking these pictures. What I found at home, however, made me shiver. Cophinopoda chinensis is a genus of robber flies or more commonly known as assassin flies and as this common name suggests, they're very aggressive and predatory😱. I was lucky that the "assassinator" didn't move an inch (maybe asleep)😅 while being photographed. 

  

Cophinopoda chinensis 青眼虻