Pink Plum Blossoms 紅梅

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

I've been finally able to photograph pink plum blossoms this year. The tree is just behind a neighboring school gate and I knew the tree starting to bloom, but I couldn't approach the tree because the gate was always locked when I was passing by at around 7 a.m. This morning, though, at around 8 a.m., the gate was open and I finally made it. 

Pink plum blossoms　紅梅

The Moon in the Blue Sky 月と青空

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

It was around 7 a.m. I looked up in the sky and saw the Moon. The air is cold and dry. It's a typical Japanese winter day.  

The Moon in the sky　月と青空

Algerian Iris (Iris Unguicularis) カンザキアヤメ（寒咲菖蒲）

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

I saw this Algerian iris (Iris unguicularis) in Central Tokyo. The contrast between the pale purple and yellow is so beautiful. I thought it strange for an iris to flower in winter, but it's understandable. Algerian irises produce flowers in winter and that's why they're called "iris flowering in winter" in Japanese. 

Algerian iris (Iris unguicularis)　カンザキアヤメ（寒咲菖蒲）

Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis Pes-Caprae) オオキバナカタバミ（大黄花酢漿草）

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

These are Bermuda buttercups (Oxalis pes-caprae) before waking up. The buttercup oxalis usually blooms from March to May, but they flowered despite the cold weather that day. If you want to see open buttercup oxalis, read this post.

Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae)　オオキバナカタバミ（大黄花酢漿草）

Cranberry (Vaccinium Oxycoccos) ツルコケモモ（蔓苔桃）

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

These are cranberries (Vaccinium oxycoccos). I've heard of the berries and must have eaten them but haven't seen them raw. The cranberry produces fruits from September to October in Japan. These cranberries (which look like small apples, don't they?) have survived the winter. 

Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos)　ツルコケモモ（蔓苔桃）

Thalictrum Aquilegifolium var. Intermedium カラマツソウ（落葉松草、唐松草）

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

These are flowers of Thalictrum aquilegifolium var. intermedium. I wanted to find their common name, but couldn't. The flowers were so tiny with thin petals, swaying in the wind. 

Thalictrum Aquilegiifolium var. Intermedium　カラマツソウ（落葉松草、唐松草）

Grevillea Elegance グレヴィレアエレガンス

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

I was walking in central Tokyo. It was raining and I was feeling sad and lonely and then I found these Grevillea 'Elegance' flowers. At first the bright pink caught my eye and then flowers, which look like spider lilies. I took out my camera from my backpack and started photographing them.    

Grevillea elegance　グレヴィレアエレガンス

Pink Knotweed (Persicaria Capitata) ヒメツルソバ（姫蔓蕎麦）

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

I wrote about Chinese knotweed (Persicaria chinensis) yesterday and today's post is about pink knotweed (Persicaria capitata). Pink knotweed is called "princess Chinese knotweed" in Japanese because its flower and leaf shapes are similar to, but smaller than, those of Chinese knotweed. And pink knotweed flowers look like really princesses to me. 

Pink knotweed (Persicaria capitata)　ヒメツルソバ（姫蔓蕎麦）

Chinese Knotweed (Persicaria Chinensis) ツルソバ（蔓蕎麦）

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

I've been googling the name of the plant for a week and finally found it. This is Chinese knotweed (Persicaria chinensis). The tiny flowers are so cute! Chinese knotweed is supposed to flower from May to November in Japan, which is why it took so long to find out its name. I see Chinese knotweed only there and have no idea where it came from. 

Chinese knotweed (Persicaria chinensis)　ツルソバ（蔓蕎麦）

Cerasus Subhirtella or Winter Cherry 十月桜（冬桜）

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

October cherry or winter cherry trees in my neighborhood are now in full bloom. As you can see, their blossoms are not comparable to those of white plum blossoms, which have started to bloom, or spring blooming cherry blossoms, but their quiet beauty always gives me solace.   

Winter cherry　十月桜（冬桜）

Wintersweet (Chimonanthus Praecox) ロウバイ（蝋梅）

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

Wintersweet has started to bloom. It's winter in Japan. Their bright yellow is standing out so beautifully against the blue winter sky.  

Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox)　ロウバイ（蝋梅）

Sunset 夕焼け

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

I'm an early bird, so I see the sunrise almost everyday but rarely see such a beautiful sunset. I was just standing there smiling. 

Sunset　夕焼け

White Plum Blossoms (White Prunus Mume) 白梅

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

A Japanese plum tree in my neighborhood has started to bloom. Seeing cherry blossoms and eating and drinking under cherry blossom trees is an event in spring in Japan, but in the old days, plum blossoms were more popular than cherry blossoms. I prefer plum blossoms to cherry ones these days, too.  

White plum blossoms (white Prunus mume)　白梅

2024 is the Year of the Dragon! 今年は辰年だ！

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

These are stuffed dragons on zodiac trees at Tokyo International Forum. Every December and January, the facility displays trees of stuffed animals of the zodiac sign of the coming year. The trees this year have stuffed dragons because 2024 is the Year of the Dragon🐉.

The Japanese zodiac signs are the following 12 in this order 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

Dragon tree for 2024 辰ツリー

Japanese zodiac tree for 2024 干支ツリー

Venus and Crescent Moon 月と金星

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Can you see them? If not, look at the second photo. They are the crescent moon and bright Venus.

Venus and the crescent moon

Daffodil (Narcissus) スイセン（水仙）

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This is daffodil (Narcissus). The color contrast and the posture is so beautiful that I stopped for a while to see the flowers. 

Bermuda Buttercup (Oxalis Pes-Caprae) オオキバナカタバミ（大黄花酢漿草）

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

The bright yellow caught my eye. These are Bermuda buttercups (Oxalis pes-caprae). The buttercup oxalis usually blooms from March to May, but as it was warm yesterday in Tokyo, I can't blame them for thinking spring has arrived. 

Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae)　オオキバナカタバミ（大黄花酢漿草）

Euonymus Japonicus (Japanese Spindle) 柾（マサキ）

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These are fruits of evergreen spindle or Japanese spindle (Euonymus japonicus). The split pale red fruits showing uniquely shaped bright orange seeds are so pretty. The fruit in the center of the first photo looks like a face with a big nose to me. What do you think? 

Japanese spindle (Euonymus japonicus)　柾（マサキ）

Cactus Flower サボテンの花

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

I knew cacti produce flowers, but it was my first time to see a cactus flower in person. It's so lovely, isn't it? Something has devastated me, but this tiny flower against the blue sky was so beautiful that I was able to stop crying and smile just a little.  

 

Cactus flower　サボテンの花

Weigela Floribunda 藪空木（ヤブウツギ）

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

These are leaves of Weigela floribunda. Its flowers are pretty, but look at the color gradients! The leaves are also beautiful, aren't they! 

Weigela floribunda　藪空木（ヤブウツギ）

Japanese Camellias (Camellia Japonica) ツバキ（椿）

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These are Japanese camellias (Camellia japonica). Japanese camellias and sasanqua camellias are very similar but different. Generally, Japanese camellia flowers are smaller than sasanqua camellia's and as I've written many times, how a flower dies is also different. A Japanese camellia flower falls off in its entirety while a sasanqua flower dies with petals falling off one by one. I was easily able to tell these were Japanese camellia, which I'm proud of!

Japanese camellia (Camellia Japonica)　ツバキ（椿）

Buds of Chimonanthus Praecox (Wintersweet) ロウバイ（蝋梅）の蕾

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

I didn't notice, but the wintersweet season has already started. I look forward to seeing its flowers but this has made me realize that the pollen season will also start when it fully blooms.    

 

Chimonanthus praecox (wintersweet)　ロウバイ（蝋梅）

Namiyoke Shrine 波除神社

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Happy New Year! This morning, I went to Namiyoke Shrine in Tsukiji, Tokyo to make my first visit to a shrine of the year. The name of the shrine literally means "protection from waves" and this is understandable because Tsukiji, where the shrine is located, was once lowland marshes along the Sumida River delta and reclaimed during the Edo period (1603-1867). You may have heard of Tsukiji as a fish market, which was established in 1935 and existed until 2018 when transferred to Toyosu.

The shrine has two wooden sculptures, both of which are taller than 2 meters. One is of the head of a female lion (1st photo). You can say it's female because the teeth are black, which is a Japanese tradition practiced mainly by married women before the mid-19th century. She has Benzaiten or goddess of eloquence enshrined within itself. And the other is of the head of a male lion (2nd photo). Namiyoke shrine is small and not that famous but I love the shrine for its coziness. 

Female lion　雌獅子

Male lion　雄獅子

Namiyoke shrine