A few days ago, it was terribly hot and today it's so cool. Autumn has finally arrived in Japan and red spider lilies (Lycoris radiata) have started to flower!
Despite their beauty, however, red spider lilies are associated with death in Japan for an unfair but understandable reason. Although cremation is the most popular now, burial used to be common in Japan and therefore red spider lilies were planted to keep moles and other animals away from bodies because the plant's bulbs are poisonous. Spider lilies are called "higan bana," meaning "flowers during the higan period." "Higan" is a Buddhist holiday, i.e., three days before and after both the Spring equinox and Autumnal equinox.
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彼岸花(曼珠沙華)です。不吉なイメージがありますが何の根拠もなく、日本で昔まだ土葬が一般的だった時代にモグラなどから遺体を守るために、毒性を持つ彼岸花を墓の周りに植え始めたのが理由のようです。お彼岸って、春分と秋分の前後3日間を合わせた計7日間のことを言うそうです。初めて知りました。
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