A late-night encounter with O-Demari (大手毬) – Japanese Snowballs!
O-demari ( Japanese snowballs) in Tsukuba (May 2011)
They`ve changed the bus routes! As of April 1st 2011, the Tsuku Bus- the city`s subsidized transport service, no longer stops in front of my house- though it still does pass by as it follows its route ( as if to mock me)!
Now if I want to get around town by bus I have to walk over to the old Sakura City Office. The fastest way for me to get there is to take a short-cut through one of Tsukuba`s most beautiful undeveloped areas- the wilds between the Sakura Junior High School and the former city office, which is a rich ( though unmarked) archaeoligical site ( a government office stood there more than 1,000 years ago) that is now something of a small, very unofficial, nature preserve- replete with all sorts of small animals and birds, and of course plenty of interesting vegetation.
One night last week, I decided to take the bus back home, and I got out at the lonely Former City-Office stop at about 10 PM. It certainly IS a creepy place to get dropped off at that hour, but still, instead of walking around the LONG WAY, taking the street-lit and paved sidewalks, I headed on, without flashlight, into the wilds- with the crazed frog choruses from nearby rice fields as background music!
As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realized that the moon, though not full, would provide adequate illumination for me to navigate the dirt paths.
Very soon along my way, I noticed the silhouettes of two large Ural Owls ( FUKURO) perched on a tree. They were unnerved by my presence, and silently took off into flight, displaying the outlines of their broad wingspans in the moonlit sky. MAGICAL!
Transfixed, I stopped in my tracks to admire them, though in less than an instant they had vanished from sight.
Straining my eyes in the dark to see the birds, I noticed something unusual up ahead- large and glowing ghostly white. A chill ran down my spine.
I approached slowly, and realized that it was no spectre I had come across, but a tree- more than two meters tall and fully bedecked with surprisingly large, round, white flowers. From the size and shape of the blossoms I realized it was an O-Demari tree (Viburnum plicatum var. plicatum f. plicatum), whose flowers in English have come to be called ( quite appropriately) JAPANESE SNOWBALLS!
I stood transfixed for a few moments beneath the tree which glowed in the weak moonlight and seemed to come to life with each breeze- before continuing on my way home.
A closer look
The next morning, I knew that I just HAD TO take the bus into town, so that on my way to the stop I could get a look at the tree in the daylight.
And it WAS as spectacular as it had been the previous night. And though not as mysterious as it had been in the moonlight, I still missed my bus.
The O- demari, also known as the TEMARI BANA（手鞠花 ) in Japanese, is a member of the Honeysuckle Family, and is in fact a cultivar developed over the centuries by Japanese horticulturalists, of a native species called the YABU DEMARI (ヤブデマリ,V. plicatum var.tomentosum).
The flowers of the O-demari bloom in May, giving us what look like snowballs just when the weather is finally warming up ( they look so tempting that you want to pull one off and throw it at someone!)
It is interesting that if I show a close-up photo of these flowers to botanically-savy Japanese they all immediately assume that what they are looking at is HYDRANGEA. In fact, the O-demari DO look uncannilly like those much more famous ( and commonly found) blossoms.
Another confusing point, is that there is another decorative plant in Japan called the KODEMARI, which is usually assumed to be a relative of the snowballs. There are two reasons for this. One is that they look quite similar, especially from afar. More importantly, however, are the names of these plants, which can be taken to mean LARGE DEMARI ( O-demari), and SMALL DEMARI ( kodemari).They are in fact, not even of the same family.
Snowball petals on the ground
Anyway, my mysterious encounter with the O-demari was so impressive, that I think I will have to try to get to a tree nursery and buy one for my garden. I hope to enjoy its SNOWBALLS in future Mays- especially on moonlit nights!
Check here for some pictures of KODEMARI ( more commonly seen than, and completely UNRELATED to O-DEMARI):
http://www.hana300.com/kodema1.html
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A Celestial Bridge for the Gods of Mt Tsukuba
The first thing I usually do when I manage to get up in the morning is have a look out of the small window which faces north out of my bedroom. Doing so actually gives me the illusion that there is nothing but NATURE between my house and Mt Tsukuba, as still undeveloped wildlands and woods stretch out for a kilometer or two (obscuring any signs of civilization which lay behind them) with the familiar, semi-crushed M figure of the mountain looming large over the tree-tops. In this way, I can observe and enjoy the subtle changes which unfold EVERY DAY, as certain plants fade away and others take their place.
Yesterday as I pulled back the curtain, I expected to have a further look at Tsukuba's descent into the dried out browns and straw yellows of December. Instead, what I saw had me calling out "Come quick, and look!" Just then the phone rang. It was a friend saying, "Look towards the mountain! It's a rainbow!" After saying thanks (for telling me what I had already known), the phone rang again, with the same news! Surely, few natural phenomena can bring such a thrill!
We savoured the spectacle for the few minutes that it lasted, and I then set out for work with the feeling that this would be a special day. I also couldn't stop thinking about rainbows, or as they are called in Japanese NIJI (虹）, and how until modern science came along to finally (and de-mystifyingly) explain their occurrence, they were the true stuff of myth, with the various cultures and religions of the world each offering their own unique answer to the question: Why are there rainbows?
The Japanese traditionally associate rainbows with bridges (now you know why the famous Rainbow Bridge is so named ). In the KOJIKI, Japan's oldest (8th century) surviving text which recounts its creation myths in an archaic Sino-Japanese, we are told of how the Gods brought into existence a divine couple (Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto) who were called upon to create the LAND. For this they used a special rod called a HOKO (this is what the long poles featured on the floats of the famous festival in Kyoto are called) with which they stirred the sea while standing on a heavenly bridge called AME NO UKI HASHI, thus creating Terra-Firma. This celestial bridge was interpreted as being a rainbow.
Thus the scene of a rainbow over Mt. Tsukuba has special significance, as its twin peaks are where Izanagi and Izanami are enshrined.
I have not found any evidence for this yet, but think about all the old bridges you've seen at shrines around Japan. In fact have a look at any of the bridges shown in old wood-block prints. They are arc shaped, like rainbows.
Rainbows can be seen any time of year, but in Japan are most likely to appear in the summer rainy season.
As you can imagine, there are numerous poems (dating back to the MANYOSHU) which try to capture the WONDER that one senses when seeing these tantalizingly ephemeral colored arches.
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A Day for the Birds
Avi has written at great length about the plight of birds who enter the nets that "protect" the lotus farmers' fields along the shores of Kasumigaura. To read more about this issue, see the following articles.
- Bird Sanctuary or Mortuary (May 2007)
- Bird Rescue Underway: Six Saved Thousands to go (December 2007)
- Save the Birds (December 2007)
- Kasumigaura Bird Rescue (January 2008)
- Bird Rescue Stuck in the Mud (February 2008)
- Kasumigaura Bird Rescue Meeting (February 2008)
- Still Caught up in Kasumigaura Bird Rescue (December 2008)
Today, I decided to shadow Avi on one of his trips to survey the situation and rescue any birds that were caught in the nets. As we pulled up to one of the sites, Avi spotted a duck that was hanging from one of its feet and ran out to rescue it -- almost before I could stop the car! He only had one set of hip waders, so I had to watch on the sidelines, but that was probably for the best anyway, as the fields that he had to traverse today were really difficult to manoeuvre in and my short little legs would probably not have been able to propel me forward very effectively.
He rescued a small duck and a coot in one field and then we moved along the shore until we spotted a larger duck that was caught up in a net but still actively struggling to get free. The larger duck (a mallard) was located far into one of the fields and it took Avi a long time to reach him. Once the duck was free, he swam away into a neighbouring pond and then flew up and away with a vigorous flap of his wings. Unfortunately, the smaller duck and the coot did not seem to be very far off from perishing when Avi rescued them. They both must have been hanging upside down for a long time because even after they were rescued, they just sort of sat in the water, dazed. By the time we returned to where they had been rescued, there was no sign of either one of them. We think they both must have died in the interim.
Avi says that there is definite progress being made on this issue. Many fields that were completely covered in nets are now either open or only covered on the sides. Also, just as we were leaving, we think we spotted some city hall people who had come to remove the birds and the carcasses. I guess it is a bit of an embarrassment for the city to have a bird mortuary on the shores of one of their biggest tourist draws.
However, there is still work to be done. We saw many, many carcasses of birds who had gotten stuck and perished, and Avi assures me that I only saw a very, very small percentage of the fields today. It is important not to let people forget that so many birds are out there hanging from their feet or wings, starving (or freezing) to death. The worst part of it is that the nets are not even effective at keeping the birds out! The fact that the birds get inside the nets is proof enough of that fact, but even worse is the fact that some of the birds can also fly out of the nets -- proving that the nets are not really effective at keeping the birds away at all.
If you have some time to spare, I would urge you to contact Avi (avi[at]tora.email.ne.jp) and volunteer to go out to Kasumigaura with him. If you are strong enough (and tall enough), you can help him with the rescuing, but if you aren't, you can help by taking photos, getting the word out to your friends, helping to find ways to publicize this issue in the Japanese media or on blogs, translating information into Japanese, etc. As with any animal-welfare issue, the faster you offer to help, the fewer animals end up suffering.
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A Fine Day to Try The Segue Human Transporter (and for Cosplay) near Tsukuba Center
Learning to ride a Segue Human Transporter in Tsukuba
I cant remember exactly when it was, but it must have been more than a decade ago when there were rumors of a new invention, soon to be revealed, which would radically tranform the way we all lived. When I finally DID find out what this contraption was, a silly sort of battery-powered scooter upon which the rider stands upright, I could not help but feel GREATLY LET DOWN ( and I guess that MOST people felt the same way), and in all the years since I had only seen this environmentally friendly machine ONCE- at Narita Airport being ridden by a patrolling security guard.
Once, until TODAY, when I saw three or four SEGUE Human Transporters ( as these vehicles have been dubbed), which have been lent by Segue Japan to Tsukuba City for a special event focusing on CLEAN ENERGY!
That means that YOU, or anyone else with the gumption to try riding one of these crazy machines ( as you have probably heard the man who had bought the company from its original owner died after falling off a cliff while riding his Segue), can give it a try- completely free of charge!
To assist you in getting the hang of it, several Tsukuba university students, who have been trained by the Segue company, will be there, as instructors.
You will be able to take advantage of this opportunity through February 16th, from 10AM to 4 PM- at the building in the middle of the pond, just across from Tsukuba`s Expo Center.
While there, you can also try riding a battery powered bicycle. While waiting for your turn you can soak your feet in the warmth of a solar- powered foot bath.
I gave the Segue a try myself, and I must say that I enjoyed it alot. It IS quite amazing! You can learn the basics in a couple of minutes and then can guide the scooter with the merest shifting of your weight.
It will not revolutionize society, but it sure is fun.
Getting the hang of it!
Those of you who tried the Segue today (Feb. 13th 2011), or were just enjoying a stroll through Tsukuba`s Central Park, were in for an EXTRA treat- The Cosplay Festival- which was held a mere 100 meters away from the Green Living Event!
Dozens of young men and women ( and some not so very young) were dressed up as their favorite ANIME or game characters! What did they do? Well, nothing much- just alot of preening and posing before the cameras. Yes, there were plenty of eager photographers ( professional, or at least with professional looking equipment!) shooting away. It seemed as if some were even paying money for the Cosplayers to pose.
I found out the hard way that you had better ask for permission before taking pictures at such events. As I was taking a couple of candid shots ( with my cell phone), three girls came over to scold me for my poor manners. Then again, by being so authoritarian they might have just been getting into their characters- they were dressed as Nazis!
Cos-Play in Tsukuba`s Central Park- right in front of the library ( Feb. 13th 2011)
It was all quite bizzarre! A conversation that I overheard between a 40- ish Japanese couple sums it up. Shocked by the scene of so many photographers snapping away at the Cosplayers, the wife disapporvingly said- Why are they paying them so much attention? Why are they taking pictures?
Her husband cooly responded: Its....... CULTURE.
And what brings all this culture to Tsukuba? The Tsukuba Express! Yes, train-lines, like rivers of old, are conduits of culture- and now brainy, bookish conservative Tsukuba is linked directly to Akihabara- the OTAKU Capital of Japan!
TX has brought the commuters, the Mt.Tsukuba Day-Hikers, and now the Cos-players!
But sorry, if you werent there today, you will probably have to wait a while before before such a scene at Chuo Koen ( Tsukuba`s Central Park)
More Cos-Play in Tsukuba
For more about the Segue:
http://www.answers.com/topic/segway
One of the many Cos-Players around the pond at Tsukuba`s Chuo-Koen Park (Feb. 13th 2011)
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A Glimpse (and Whiff) of Things to Come
Plum Blossoms In Tsukuba - Feb. 4, 2009
Even in Japan's mild-wintered Kanto region, in most years, on February 4th, radio and television weathercasters can do nothing but complain about the inappropriately cold weather. This year, however, on that day, afternoon temperatures actually reached a toasty 14 degrees centigrade, an unusual case of the weather properly befitting the occasion, Risshun (立春), the first day of spring. And, as an extra treat, many of Tsukuba's plum blossoms (ume no hana), Japan's symbolic harbingers of spring, burst into bloom (perfectly on cue) on the very same day! These earliest blooming of Japan's popular flowering trees are also its most fragrant, and yesterday's warm breezes might have carried their thick, sweet, syrupy smell to your nose.
The traditional Japanese calendar is divided into 24 equal sections called SEKKI (節気), which creates an idealized, perfectly balanced four-seasoned year. The first day of spring is determined as the exact middle point between the winter solstice (冬至, toji) and the vernal equinox (春分の日、shunbun no hi), which usually has RISSHUN fall on February 4th. Subsequently, we have the first day of summer (Rikka, 立夏) on May 5th this year, that being the day equidistant from the spring equinox and the summer solstice (geshi, 夏至）. The other two seasonal turning points, the first day of autumn (risshuu, 立秋) and the first day of winter (rittou, 立冬), are determined in the same manner, creating four seasons, each ninety days long.
Plum blossoms In Tsukuba's Botanical Garden - Feb. 4, 2009
When Japan still followed its old calendar, Risshun, the first day of spring, was also the first day of the new year, the day on which all Japanese would grow one year older together. That is why on the evening of the previous day (February 3rd, this year), it is the tradition to eat the same number of soy beans as your age (sometimes plus one!), in what is called the SETSUBUN festival. Another name for the evening before RISSHUN was TOSHI NO YORU (歳の夜), which could be translated as the BIRTHDAY EVENING.
Of course, the Japanese seasonal divisions are not usually in accordance with meteoroloigical realities, as the coldest days of the year usually hit during the weeks AFTER the first day of spring, and in many parts of Japan the snow remains deep. There is even a famous expression and lyric to a well-known song which goes "HARU WA NA NOMI" (春は名のみ), which means "spring in name only". Despite the cold of early spring, for the Japanese it was the OCCASIONAL warm breeze, the stirring of certain plants and animals and the blooming of the plum blossoms (especially on snow covered branches), that is to say the little CHANGES and HINTS which gave hope and expectation of things to come that were what early spring was recognized as and appreciated for.
The blossoms of the plum tree (ume no ki), which has been bred into such numerous varieties since being brought to Japan more than 1000 years ago by returnees of missions to various Chinese dynastic courts, rival those of Japan's national flower, the cherry blossoms (sakura no hana) in terms of endearment in the hearts of the Japanese people. In fact, in the early Showa Period, there was a heated debate over which of the two WOULD become the national flower. The plum's strong points were not only that it was beautiful and highly fragrant and the first major blossom of the new year and thus symbol of spring's coming, praised so often by Japan's greatest classical poets. It was also a unique feature of the DAILY JAPANESE DIET in the form of UME BOSHI, or salted plums, as well as a popular ingredient for liquor and juice. It was probably the fact that plum blossoms were already the national flower of China (which they still are in Taiwan), and had been introduced to Japan from there that the UME lost out. Of course, there is also the matter of the more delicate cherry blossoms being more representative of the quintessential Japanese notion, MUJO, the fleeting nature of all things.
Despite having been brought in from abroad, the first western scientists to encounter the plum trees, including Philip Von Sebold, mistook them as being native to Japan. This could also be because, though a popular motive of Chinese art, there is no special tradition of viewing their flowers nor is there the custom of regularly eating their fruit.
For the Japanese, there is another interesting significance to the plum blossom: its connection to the passing of entrance examinations! The other day, just as I was mentioning plum blossoms to a friend of mine who has been driven to distraction by her son's upcoming exams, someone's cellphone rang. It was hers. A considerate friend had sent her a photo of a plum tree in bloom as a way of saying, "I hope your son is gonna pass!"
How did the ume no hana come to have such a connection to studies and the passing of tests? Well, the answer is simple: the plum tree was a favorite of SUGAWARA NO MICHIZANE, the great Heian Period poet, scholar and calligrapher who was unjustly expelled from the capital, died in exile, and was later enshrined as the GOD TENJIN, the patron god of scholars, poets, calligraphers and students. According to legend, when Michizane was leaving the capital on the road to exile in distant Dazaifu, Kyushu, it was only his plum tree that Michizane bade farewell with this, the most famous of all his poems.
KOCHI FUKABA NIOI OKOSE YO UME NO HANA
ARUJI NASHI TOTE HARU NA WASURESO
(If the East wind blows this way, send your fragrance to me, o plum blossoms,
even though I am no longer there).
Legend then says that the tree came flying all the way to Kyushu to give the forlorn aristocrat solace to the end of his days (which was not very far off).
Plum Blossoms In Tsukuba's Woods
There are almost always plum trees, sometimes hundreds, at shrines dedicated to Michizane, or TENJIN, as he is called in deified form. In this season, millions of supplicants visit these shrines to pray for exam success, and appropriately the plum blossoms are opening, filling the sacred precincts with the fragrance of HOPE.
Luckily for those of us who live in Ibaraki, Mito, our prefectural capital is the home to one of the most famous places for enjoying plum blossoms, KAIRAKUEN. The ume festival there will begin toward the end of this month.
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