Japan Has Many "Velvet Fists in Iron Gloves" 日本は「内柔外剛」型

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

I learned the phrase "an iron fist (hand) in a velvet glove" from the CEO of the company which I used to work for. He said one day when we were heading to a conference room that he always wanted to be "an iron fist in a velvet glove." I believe he was. He did what he had to do without yelling at anybody. He always smiled as far as I remember. Japanese employees who first presumed him to be only a young, inexperienced foreigner and therefore to have no guts to take any bold actions, just staying in Japan for a few years and moving to another country, were shocked by a series of measures he took to reorganize the company.  

Japanese Women Can Be Sexist - The Discriminated Can Become The Discriminator 女版「森元総理」

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

Gender discrimination has been a hot issue in Japan "thanks to" a former prime minister Yoshiro Mori's sexist remark*.

* Mori said on February 3 at a Japan Olympic Committee Council meeting, “Women have a strong sense of rivalry. If one (female) member raises her hand to speak, all the others feel the need to speak too. Everyone ends up saying something.”

Many Japanese criticized Mori, and a s a result, he stepped down as the president of Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee and has been replaced by the then Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto, a female ex-Olympic athlete who competed in seven Summer and Winter Olympics as a cyclist and a skater. Are you happy with this ending, i.e., a man, who is generally sexist, has been replaced by a woman, who cannot be sexist? If you feel that way, you're naive!!

White and Red Japanese Camellia 紅白椿

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

You may often see red Japanese camellia flowers but how about white ones? 

White Japanese camellia 白い椿

Something You should Do Alone 一人で歩きます！

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

Many things need, or are better to have, two or more people. "Tea for two" needs two. You may like to have meals with someone rather than eating alone. But when it comes to going for a walk, I wanna say this out loud. "YOU SHOULD WALK ALONE!!!" 

Narcissus Tazetta 'Grand Monarque' グランドモナーク（水仙）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

They look like narcissus tazetta (bunch-flowered narcissus) or narcissus papyraceus (paperwhite), but the colors of the petals (creamy white) and corolla (pale yellow) are slightly different from those of these narcissuses. I believe this is narcissus tazetta 'Grand Monarque.' 

2021/2/21

Half & Half Colored Japanese Apricot (White & Pink)! 白とピンクのハーフ＆ハーフの梅？

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

I knew that pink and white prunus mume flowers bloom on a tree, but looking at a Japanese apricot tree blooming with not only pink and white flowers but also this "half & half" colored flower in person, was amazing enough to make me run toward the tree.

A half and half colored Japanese apricot flower ハーフ＆ハーフ？

Narcissus Papyraceus (Paperwhite) 白花水仙（ペーパーホワイト）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is narcissus papyraceus or more commonly paperwhite, the fourth type of narcissus I've ever seen this year following:

- narcissus tazetta (commonly bunch-flowered narcissus); 

- narcissus pseudonarcissus (or wild daffodil or Lent lily); and 

- narcissus tazetta odoru (or Grand Soleil d'Or). 

Of the four, paperwhite is the whitest as suggested by its name!

2021/2/18

Primrose Jasmine Has A Pitiful Japanese Name 雲南黄梅（オウバイモドキ）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is jasminum mesnyi, or more commonly primrose jasmine or Japanese jasmine. The lemon yellow was so pretty that it cheered me up!

2021/2/17

Narcissus Tazetta Odoru (Grand Soleil d'Or) Are Dancing😜? 踊る黄房水仙😜?

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

They are narcissus tazetta odoru or Grand Soleil d'Or. The yellow petals combined with orange corollas are so bright. 

2021/2/15

Rosemary - Remember Fukushima! ローズマリー -「福島」を忘れない！

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

This is salvia rosmarinus or commonly known rosemary. 

Salvia rosmarinus ローズマリー

Chaenomeles Speciosa (Flowering Quince) 木瓜（ボケ）

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

This is chaenomeles speciosa, or more commonly flowering quince, Chinese quince, or Japanese quince. The red color is so pretty, isn't it!!

Chaenomeles speciosa 木瓜