Butterfly Pea (Clitoria Ternatea) チョウマメ（蝶豆）

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Butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) is native to tropical Asia and said to have arrived in Japan in the middle of the 19th century. It produces blue, white, or reddish orange flowers from July to November. While butterfly pea flowers can be brewed into blue tea and leaves, shoots and young pods are edible, other parts, such as mature seeds and roots, are generally inedible and can cause digestive upset.  

2026/9/24

Deceiver (Laccaria Laccata) キツネタケ（狐茸）

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It's been raining on and off in Tokyo for the past month. I recently found these mushrooms, which appear to be deceivers. They weren't there the day before. Deceivers are edible and can be found around the world. In Japan, the mushroom is called "kitsunetake," which translates to "fox mushroom," due to its color.  

2026/9/24

2026/9/24

White Magnolia (Yulan Magnolia) ハクモクレン（白木蓮）

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Yulan magnolia (Magnolia denudata) is native to central and eastern China but now can be found across Japan and in many places in Tokyo. The tree flowers from February to April, the earliest among magnolias growing in Japan. The flower's pure white creates a brilliant contrast against the blue sky.  

2026/3/2

2024/3/12

Grasshopper (Atractomorpha) オンブバッタ（負飛蝗）

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These are grasshoppers. Plan and simple. The twist, however, is their relationship. A man passing by while I was taking these photos said that they were a parent and a child. I thought so, too, but ha ha! We were both mistaken. They are actually male and a female and you know what? The bigger one is female. In other words, a male grasshopper, which is much smaller, is piggybacking on her😆! And that's why in Japan, this species is called "piggyback grasshopper."

2024/9/19 A female grasshopper is piggybacking a male counterpart
雌が雄をおんぶ

Red, White, and Yellow Spider Lily (Lycoris) ヒガンバナ（曼珠沙華/彼岸花）

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Spider lilies are native to China but can be found across Japan. They flower in September and therefore are called "Autumnal equinox flower" in Japanese. Spider lilies are known generally as red flowers (Lycoris radiata) but they produce white (Lycoris albiflora) and yellow (Lycoris traubii) flowers. A white spider lily is not a sibling of a red one, but a cross-breed of a red and a yellow spider lilies. It's interesting that a child of red and yellow flowers is white.

A yellow spider lily is called "Shouki zuisen" in Japanese, translating to "Zhong Kui lily" as its petals look like the beard of Zhong Kui, a demon hunter and Chinese deity who fights ghosts. 

Despite their beauty, 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. 

2025/9/26

Lespedeza (Bush Clovers) 萩（ハギ）

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The bush clover is native to east Asia and can be found across Japan. It's known as an autumn plant in Japan and its Japanese name "hagi" is a kigo or a seasonal word or phrase associated with a particular season used in traditional forms of Japanese poetry for autumn, but bush clovers actually flower from July to September and I once found a tree flowering in December (scroll down).

Bush clovers are known to produce pink flowers but they also have white flowers (Lespedeza buergeri) and some (Lespedeza  japonica bailey cv. versicolor) produce pink and white flowers on the same tree. 

2026/9/20

Pink and White Bush Clovers (Lespedeza Buergeri) キハギ（木萩）

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Pink and white bush clovers (Lespedeza buergeri) can be found across Japan. Generally, bush clovers produce pink/purple flowers but this type produces flowers which have the large white upper petal (banner) with a base and the two side petals (wings) both of which are purple. Lespedeza buergeri blooms from July to September, making it the earliest to flower among the bush clovers.

2026/9/20

2026/9/20

Camellia Fruits (Camellia Japonica and Camellia Sasanqua) 椿と山茶花の実

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Camellia trees in my neighborhood have started fruit and one of the differences between the Camellia japonica and the Camellia sasanqua is the fruit. 

Japanese people love Camellia so much that they talk a lot about how to distinguish between "japonica" and "sasanqua." One way to tell is to look at the size and skin of their fruits. Also, a Camellia japonica fruit is bigger (i.e., about 5 cm in diameter) with a glossy skin while a Camellia sasanqua one is about 3 cm and hairy.

The seeds of both Camellia fruits can produce oil (i.e., tea seed oil), which has been used for skin and hair in Japan for a long time. How long? The Shoku Nihongi, i.e., an imperially-commissioned Japanese history text, says that Japan gave the oil to an ambassador sent from Balhae, a multi-ethnic kingdom in Manchuria, the Korean Peninsula and the Russian Far East, in 777. Wow!

Camellia japonica and sasanqua are both the prefectural/city/town flower of many prefectures and municipalities in Japan, and the Camellia japonica is surprisingly the Alabama state flower.

If you're interested in another (easy!) way to tell the Camellia japonica from the Camellia sasanqua, read THIS post, too!!  

2026/9/20 Camellia japonica

Orange Sweet Osmanthus (Osmanthus Fragrans Var. Aurantiacus) キンモクセイ（金木犀）

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Orange sweet osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans var. aurantiacus), a variety of sweet osmanthus, is native to China and came to Japan in the 17th century. As its name suggests, the flowers are so fragrant that orange sweet osmanthus is designated as one of the three most fragrant flowers in Japan together with winter daphne and cape jasmine.

The orange sweet osmanthus has been propagated from cuttings in Japan because only male plants were imported to Japan. 

2026/9/19

Autumn Leaves of Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida) ハナミズキ（花水木）の紅葉

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One of the pleasures in autumn is to enjoy viewing leaves turn red and yellow. My favorite autumn leaves are maple, Chinese tallow, and those in these pictures. Flowering dogwood. It's a bit early for the best season but these orange and red leaves and bright red fruits are beautiful enough.  

2026/9/19

2024/10/21

Chinese Tallow (Triadica Sebifera) 南京櫨（ナンキンハゼ）

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The Chinese tallow is one of my favorite plants for its beauty throughout the year, i.e., spike-like green flowers and three-lobed also beautiful green fruits from spring to summer, gorgeous gradients of red, orange, and yellow leaves in autumn (scroll down!), and chubby white seeds covered in capsules, which are green at first but turn black, in winter. The tree is native to China but can be found across Japan. Its leaves offer comfortable habitats to insects, like nettle caterpillars (scroll down) and yellow spotted stink bugs. 

2021/12/2

Fruits of Cornus Florida (Flowering Dogwood) 花水木（ハナミズキ）の実

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These are fruits (drupes) of Cornus florida or dogwood flowers. Their flowers resemble those of Cornus kousa so much that it's not easy to tell but their fruits are completely different. Cornus florida shows unexpectedly gorgeous autumn leaves. 

2026/9/19

Corchoropsis カラスノゴマ（烏胡麻）

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Corchoropsis is native to east Asia and can be found across Japan, producing yellow flowers from August to September. There are several types of Corchoropsis in east Asia but Japan has only the type of those in these photos, Corchoropsis crenata Sieb. et Zucc. Its Japanese name is "karasu no goma," which translates into "crow's sesame," after the resemblance of its seeds to sesames and crows eating the seeds.

2026/9/17

Japanese Chestnut (Castanea Crenata) 日本グリ（和栗）

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Finding a still-green chestnut burr on the ground made me look up at the tree above me. The Japanese chestnut (Castanea crenata) is native to Japan and Korea and can be found across Japan. Chestnuts are used for many dishes in Japan, not only sweets but also mixed rice or kuri gohan. 

There are the following types of chestnuts according to Adachi Otoemon, a confectionery shop in Kyoto: 

• Japanese chestnut (Castanea crenata)
• Western chestnut (Castanea sativa)
• Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima)
• American chestnut (Castanea dentata)

I want to taste them all to decide which is the sweetest😋!

2026/9/4

Confederate Rose (Hibiscus Mutabilis cv. Versicolor) スイフヨウ（酔芙蓉）

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These are Confederate roses (Hibiscus mutabilis cv. versicolor) and the first five photos are of one flower, taken at 10:00, 12:30, 15:30 and 16:30 on 16 September 2024 and at 5:30 on the following morning. After such a color change from pure white in the morning to pink in the afternoon, this type of Confederate roses is named "sui fuyou," which translates into "drunken Confederate rose."

The sixth and the last ones are red and white marbled. Some Japanese apricot trees produce such colored flowers but (I believe that) a Confederate rose tree producing such flowers is quite unusual. White apricot trees don't exist but red ones produce white or red/white marbled flowers when they cannot produce enough anthocyanins to make flowers red. The same may apply to this hibiscus tree. 

If you want to see peach, Japanese apricot, or lespedeza having white, pink/red or marble-colored flowers on a tree, read the following posts: 

- Red & White Marble Colored Flowering Peach

- Half & Half Colored Japanese Apricot (White & Pink)!

- Lespedeza Japonica Bailey cv. Versicolor (Variegated Bush Clover)

10:00 a.m., 2024/9/16

Pale Grass Blue (Pseudozizeeria Maha) 大和小灰蝶（ヤマトシジミ）

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A male pale grass blue (Pseudozizeeria maha) butterfly looks completely different when its wings are open (1st photo) and closed (2nd photo). When closed, you may disregard it because it's plain, just a small white butterfly with black spots. When the wings are open, however, you would be surprised by the beautiful pale blue of the upper side of its wings as suggested by the name. (If you want to see the butterfly showing both sides, see the 3rd photo.) Butterflies are known to open their wings to bask in the sun to warm their bodies, so you're more likely to see the beautiful blue in autumn than summer.   

The pale grass blue resembles the plains cupid (Luthrodes pandava) very much except for the latter having orange spots on the wings. I once mistook a plains cupid for a pale grass blue.   

2025/11/2

2026/8/23

Obedient Plant (Physostegia Virginiana) ハナトラノオ（花虎の尾）

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The obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) is native to North America, came to Japan from 1900 to 1920 for ornamental purposes, and can now be found across Japan, producing purple flowers from August to September. Its flowers from the front reminded me of small skullcaps (Scutellaria indica L. var. parvifolia (Makino) Makino)), but they're not related. 

2026/9/13

Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium Coelestinum) アオイロフジバカマ（青色藤袴）

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The blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) is native to North America and came to Japan in or after the Meiji period (1868-1912), producing blue flowers from July to October. Its Japanese name is "aoiro fujibakama," which translates into "blue fragrant eupatorium," after its color and resemblance to the fragrant eupatorium flower.

2026/9/13

False Heather (Cuphea Hyssopifolia) メキシコハナヤナギ（墨西哥花柳）

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The false heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia) is native to Mexico and said to have come to Japan from the Meiji to Taisho period (1868-1926).

2026/9/13

Orange Bracket Fungus (Pycnoporus Coccineus) ヒイロタケ（緋色茸）

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Orange bracket fungus (Pycnoporus coccineus) can be found in east Asia, Australia, North and South Americas, and Africa, so across Japan but Hokkaido. The mushroom is not inedible but too hard to eat. The bright orange bracket fungus is used to create natural textile dyes in Japan.

2026/9/13

Bitter Gourd (Momordica Charantia) ゴーヤ（苦瓜）

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Bitter gourds (Momordica charantia) are native to tropical Asia, came to Okinawa, i.e., one of the southern islands in Japan, in the early 15th century, and can now be found across Japan. The gourds are monoecious, which means they produce yellow, male and female flowers from July to August but it's easy to tell because the male has the yellow center while the female has the green center. They usually produce male flowers first to ensure the safe fertilization of the female ones. So, the ratio of male to female in early summer is about 10:1. 

Ripe orange gourds (scroll down) are edible including the red seeds and even jelly like stuff around the seeds. 

2026/8/10  A male flower

2020/8/8  Male and female flowers 雄花と雌花

Japanese Cornel Dogwood (Cornus Officinalis) サンシュユ（山茱萸）

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The Japanese cornel (Cornus officinalis) is native to China, Korea, and Japan and can be found across Japan. The tree produces umbels of bright yellow flowers from March to April and berries that get redder from October to November. 

The bright yellow of Japanese cornel flowers is called a "vitamin color" in Japan because it's said to energize people, which I believe is true. In spring, many stop in front of the trees to look at their pretty flowers talking about the joy of spring but surprisingly and sadly, most don't know the Japanese cornel. The Japanese cornel is one of the most underestimated trees because of their blossoming at almost the same time as cherry and Japanese apricot trees.    

2026/3/11

2026/3/11

Harlequin Glorybower (Clerodendrum Trichotomum) 臭木（クサギ）

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The color combination and contrast of harlequin glorybower's fruits always amazes me. Harlequin glorybower (Clerodendrum trichotomum) is native to east Asia and can be found across Japan, producing white flowers from July to September and fruits from October to November. The plant's Japanese name is "kusagi," which translates into "smelly tree," after its smelly stems and leaves. The fruits are blue, surrounded by red calyxes in autumn, which forms an incredibly beautiful stark color contrast.  

2026/9/9

Japanese Winterberry (Ilex Serrata) ウメモドキ（梅擬）

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Japanese winterberry (Ilex serrata) is native to China and Japan, so can be found across Japan. The winterberry produces cute, tiny (i.e., 3-4 mm in diameter) flowers from May to July and red fruits from September to next January, which turn red.  

Its Japanese name is "ume modoki," which translates into "fake Japanese apricot," after the resemblance of its leaves and branches to those of Japanese apricot. Do they? 

2026/9/5

Sweet Viburnum (Viburnum Odoratissimum) サンゴジュ（珊瑚樹）

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Sweet viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum) is native to Asia and can be found across Japan. The tree produces clusters of white flowers from June to July and red berries from July to October in Japan and because of the color of the berries, the tree's Japanese name is "sango ju," which translates into "coral tree." The berries are beautiful but toxic. 

2026/9/4

Queen Coralbead (Cocculus Trilobus) アオツヅラフジ（青葛藤）

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Queen coralbead (Cocculus trilobus) is native to east Asia and can be found across Japan, producing tiny cream flowers from July to August and fruits in autumn. The fruits are green at first but turn deep purple, which look like smaller blueberries but are toxic. 

2026/9/4

False Parasol (Chlorophyllum Molybdites) オオシロカラカサタケ（大白唐傘茸）

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The false parasol mushroom (Chlorophyllum molybdites) is native to temperate and subtropical regions but can now be found across Japan. The mushroom is beautiful and looks delicious but has poisoned many people...😱 As nicknamed the " vomiter," the mushroom is poisonous, causing literally vomiting and diarrhea! 

2026/9/2

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

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Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is native to China, coming to Japan before the Edo period (1603 - 1867) and can now be found across Japan. The tree produces flowers in various colors, white, pink, and red. Its leaves turn orange and red beautifully in autumn and the dark brown fruits are also beautiful.   

The crepe myrtle has two names in Japan, "saru suberi," which translates to "monkeys slip" because of its slippery bark, on which even monkeys (are said to) slip, and "hyaku jitsu ko," which translates to "red for one hundred days," after that the crepe myrtle flowers bloom for a long period of time.

According to Flower Meanings, the crepe myrtle flower means;
- Prosperity;
- Good luck;
- Chastity;
- Good luck in love and marriage; and
- Marital fidelity.

But here in Japan, it means:

- Eloquence;
- Charm and;
- Carelessness.

2026/8/26 Tuscarora

Japanese Chaff Flower (Achyranthes Bidentata) イノコヅチ（猪子槌）

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Japanese chaff flower (Achyranthes) is native to east Asia and can be found across Japan. The Achyranthes is divided into two types in Japan as follows:

Scientific name	Japanese name	Translation of Japanese name
Achyranthes bidentata var. fauriei	Hinata inokoduchi	Achyranthes in the sun
Achyranthes bidentata var. japonica	Hikage inokoduchi	Achyranthes in the shade

The one in these photos is Achyranthes bidentata var. fauriei.

Achyranthes fruits stick to clothing, so they're called "hittsuki mushi," which translates into "sticking bug" in Japanese.

2026/8/29

Red Ring Skirt (Hestina Assimilis) アカボシゴマダラ（赤星胡麻斑）

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The red ring skirt (Hestina assimilis) can be found in east Asia, including Japan. The butterfly is beautiful but designated as a quarantine pest under Japan's Plant Protection Law.

I found this one at 9:30 on a Saturday morning on my way from home and found it again at 11:30 on my way home.   

2026/8/29

White-Banded Hunter Hawkmoth (Theretra Oldenlandiae) セスジスズメ（背筋雀）

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Impatiens hawkmoths or white-banded hunter hawkmoths (Theretra oldenlandia) can be found across Japan. Their caterpillars are beautifully black with a stark contrast with orange spots at first and turn brownish before burrowing into the ground and pupating. The adults are cool, looking like fighter aircrafts, and can be found from May to October in Japan.   

2026/8/25

2026/8/5

Common Straight Swift (Parnara Guttata) イチモンジセセリ（一文字挵）

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The common straight swift (Parnara guttata) can be found across, and is loved in, Japan. Moths open wings when resting while most butterflies rest with their wings closed but common straight swift butterflies sometimes rest with open wings to absorb the warmth of the sun, thanks to which I've learned that their back is green (scroll down). Also scroll down to see an ant carrying a dead common straight swift.  

The common straight swift's Japanese name is "ichimonji seseri," which translates into "straight line skipper" after its white spots in a straight line while small branded swift (Pelopidas mathias), which has white spots in a circle, has a Japanese name "chabane seseri," which translates into "brown wing skipper."   

I really love common straight swift butterflies for their squirrel-like cute eyes. 

2026/8/25

2026/8/16

Mixed Color Morning Glories 混合色の朝顔（アサガオ）

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These are mixed color morning glories. Every color is so beautiful. Morning glories are very popular in Japan. Elementary schools grow morning glories in summer to teach students about plants (I was one such student!) and many municipalities hold morning glory festivals in summer.

You may believe that the plant name morning glory was given because the flowers open in the morning, but that's not true. Morning glory goes to sleep as it gets dark and wakes up (i.e., the flower opens) after nine hours of sleep. They live healthy lives!😉

2026/8/19

Skunkvine (Paederia Foetida) 屁糞葛（ヘクソカズラ）

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Skunkvine (Paederia foetida) is native to Asia and can be found across Japan. The perception of the plant in Japan is it's smelly (as in other countries), so its Japanese name is "hé kuso kazura," which translates into "fart shxx vine." The plant is also so hardy that an imperial court official in the Nara period (710-794) composed a waka poem that he wanted to work hardily like the plant. The poem is included in The Manyōshū, i.e., the oldest extant collection of Japanese waka poetry compiled during that period. 

Despite such a terrible name and the smell, however, the flower's glossy red center always reminds me of jam thumbprint cookies. 

2026/8/14

Shrimp Plant (Justicia Brandegeeana) コエビソウ（小海老草）

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Shrimp plants are native to Mexico, came to Japan in 1931 (according to some websites), and are now grown nationwide. Their Japanese name is "koebi sou," which translates into "shrimp plant," exactly the same. 

2026/8/23

Small Copper (Lycaena Phlaeas) ベニシジミ（紅小灰蝶）

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The small copper (Lycaena phlaeas) flies from March to November in Japan, so it's not unusual to see them but it was my first time to see them, not one but two! Their orange forewings caught my eye. The butterfly's coloration changes slightly across seasons; spring broods are typically brighter while summer ones become darker and more muted. I can't say for sure but one of them seems like a spring brood and the other a summer one. Scroll down to see the two together in a photo.  

2026/7/12

2026/7/1

Asian bluetail (Ischnura asiatica) アジアイトトンボ（亜細亜糸蜻蛉）

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Something makes you always feel happy, doesn't it? One such thing for me is this dragonfly, the Asian bluetail (Ischnura asiatica). The bright blue tip of the tail is so beautiful. Asian bluetails are common in Japan but because of their thinness, you wouldn't be able to find them so easily.  

2026/8/20

Cherry Caterpillar (Phalera Flavescens) モンクロシャチホコ（紋黒鯱）

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I couldn't believe my eyes. These are so called cherry caterpillars, larvae of Phalera flavescens or a moth. They eat cherry leaves so voraciously from August to October that some trees cannot survive, which is understandable, because I saw several branches covered by the larvae😱!

But more surprisingly, they're edible and some even say they're yummy😱!!! When roasted over a fire, they are traditionally noted for a subtle, pleasant flavor and aroma reminiscent of cherry blossoms from feeding on cherry leaves. This leaves me with a question. Who tried them first? How courageous the person is for trying them!

I went there on the following day, finding all the branches with the larvae having been removed. I don't know whether to feel glad or sad...

2026/8/19

Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina Communis) 露草（ツユクサ）

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The Asiatic dayflower (Commelina Communis) is native to eastern Asia and can be found across Japan. It produces blue flowers from June to September in Japan, which look to me like a mantis head. The flower has been appreciated in Japan, mentioned in the Man'yōshū (i.e., the oldest extant collection of Japanese poetry in Classical Japanese), compiled sometime after 759 during the Nara period. 

The plant's Japanese name is "tsuyukusa," which translates into "dew plant," because of its brief lifespan, like morning dew.

2026/8/17

Red Morning Glory (Ipomoea Coccinea) マルバルコウソウ（丸葉縷紅草）

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Red morning glories (Ipomoea coccinea) are native to North America, brought into Japan in the Edo period (1603-1858) for ornamental purposes, and can now be found across Japan. Despite their beauty, however, red morning glories are designated as weeds of concern by the National Agricultural Research Organization of Japan.

2026/8/16

2026/8/16