The weigela (Weigela hortensis) is native to Japan and can be found across the country, flowering generally from May to July. The pink flowers surrounded by its green leaves are so beautiful.
Despite such pretty pink color, weigela branches and stems were used in Japan to make chopsticks for a post-cremation ritual where family members pick up and transfer bone fragments from a cremation tray into an urn using such chopsticks. For that, weigela is still avoided in some areas. Wow, I've lived in Japan for many years but didn't know that.
Weigela can produce white flowers (which I've never seen) and its autumn leaves are as gorgeous as the flowers! (Scroll down!)