Lagerstroemia Indica (Crape Myrtle) 百日紅（サルスベリ）

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

These Lagerstroemia indica or crape myrtle fruits reminded me of chocolates, then Valentine's Day because in Japan WOMEN give chocolates to men they like. This very unique Japanese custom was originated by a Japanese confectionery company, followed by a big campaign by a Japanese department store in the 1950s. Since then, the custom has become so popular that women not only give chocolates to their boyfriends or husbands but also were (or still are) pressured to give chocolates ("obligation chocolates") to their male colleagues or bosses.   

If you feel sorry for Japanese women, however, you're wrong!😆 Japan has another big day called "White Day" on March 14. White Day was created by the Japanese National Confectionery Industry Association in the 1980s. On White Day, initially, men were expected to return the favor with marshmallows, but things change. White Day is now the day men return the favor to women non-reciprocally, i.e., gifting them something worth more than the chocolates they received on Valentine's Day! Naturally, Japanese men no longer want obligation chocolates on February 14😱. 

The Japanese Valentine's Day custom has been further evolving to the stage where people take every opportunity to give chocolates to their friends (friend chocolates), to their girlfriends or wives (called "opposite chocolates," which is actually not opposite!), or to themselves (self chocolates). I'm wondering if someone will give me chocolates or I myself should buy some for myself....  

Lagerstroemia indica　百日紅

Yellow Woodsorrel 酢漿草（カタバミ）

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

I found this common yellow woodsorrel this morning when the temperature was -3˚C, which is unusually cold in Tokyo even at this time of year. Yellow woodsorrel usually flowers from May to September in Japan, so this woodsorrel is very hardy, isn't it? I went back there 30 minutes later to see if the flowers were open, but they still were not awake😪.  

Yellow woodsorrel　酢漿草（カタバミ）

Chimonanthus Praecox (Wintersweet) 蝋梅（ロウバイ）

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

Several Chimonanthus praecox or wintersweet shrubs in my neighborhood have finally started to flower. Compare the first and second photos to see the change for just one day! To me, wintersweet blossoms are always a sign of the spring and the hay fever season🤧 to come! 

Chimonanthus praecox started to flower (January 22)　
蝋梅の咲き始め（1月22日）

Nick Jagger in Japan ニックジャガーだよ～

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

This is Nick Jagger in Japan. What? Do you see only a dish of potatoes and carrots? (Or you think I made a slip of tongue?) 

This is really Nick Jagger or nikujaga, that is, a Japanese dish of meat (which is niku in Japanese), potatoes (which is jaga imo) and onion stewed in generally sweetened soy sauce and mirin, sometimes with other vegetables, like carrots and green beans, to make it more colorful and nutritious!

I hate daddy jokes, but the joke has been in my head since it occurred to me while I was taking an early morning walk today. I cooked this dish and am writing this post to get rid of this earworm-like joke!!

Nick Jagger or Japanese dish called "nikujaga"　我が家の肉じゃが

Euonymus Japonicus (Japanese Spindle) 柾（マサキ）

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

These are fruits and seeds of Euonymus japonicus or more commonly evergreen spindle or Japanese spindle. I first thought they were Pittosporum tobira (Japanese cheesewood), but their color (a bit orangish), shape (a bit bigger) and way of hanging is all different from tobira. I've been bored of an early morning walk these days because I can find nothing new, like flower buds or colorful blooms. These split pale red fruits showing bright orangish red seeds cheered me up!!  

Euonymus japonicus　柾

Japanese spindle　マサキ

Sweet Autumn Clematis and the Winter Moon 仙人草と冬の月

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

Clematis terniflora or sweet autumn clematis are still in bloom. Clematis generally flowers from July to September and I saw the achenes surrounded by feather like white long tails in early November (after which its Japanese name is given). So, maybe I was lucky to be able to see the flowers and the winter Moon at the same time!

Clematis terniflora (sweet autumn clematis) 仙人草

Silene Gallica (Common Catchfly) 白花マンテマ

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

They're Silene gallica or more commonly known as common catchfly, small-flowered catchfly, or windmill pink. I saw the flowers last year, but not this time of the year but in April. I saw henbit yesterday and sweet autumn clematis in November, both of which had flowers also out of season. 

Silene gallica　白花マンテマ

Common catchfly　白花マンテマ

Enkianthus Perulatus (White Enkianthus) 灯台躑躅（ドウダンツツジ）

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

These are leaves of Enkianthus perulatus, commonly called white enkianthus. As almost all the flowers and red and yellow autumn leaves in my neighborhood are gone, the bright red was so beautiful in the early winter morning.   

Enkianthus perulatus　灯台躑躅

Lamium Amplexicaule (Henbit Deadnettle) 仏の座（ホトケノザ）

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

These are Lamium amplexicaule, commonly known as henbit or henbit deadnettle. Henbit should flower in spring, but they flowered in early November and today I saw them again flowering while walking in the early morning. 

Lamium amplexicaule　仏の座