O-demari ( Japanese snowballs) in Tsukuba (May 2011)

By Avi Landau

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

The flower has a long history in these islands and  many scholars actually assert that it is indigenous to Japan and in fact introduced to China from here. After centuries of breeding, numerous varieties have been developed and new colors, pinks and whites, brought out. By taking a look at the etymology of the Japanese name AJISAI, we can see that in earlier times the flowers were mainly blue, as the sounds used to make up the name originally meant a GATHERING OF BLUES (aji-from atsu (集まる) or gather , and ai (藍), indigo blue.

Hydrangea have another Japanese name, however, nanahenge (七変化), or seven transformations, which derives from the flower's unique characteristic. The colors of the petals change according to the chemical make-up of the soil! This feature has given the flower rich symbolic meaning in Japanese art and poetry -- especially to represent a fickle and changing heart. It is because of this characteristic too, that hydrangea were shunned by the warrior class in the feudal period, because for them, changing colors, or by extension loyalties, was anathema .

For Westerners, however, hydrangea can be seen as a symbol of silent devotion, as its scientific name, otaksa, appears to refer to Otaki-San, a woman from Nagasaki's pleasure quarter, who was the  mistress of the German naturalist P.F. von Siebold, who went on to introduce ajisai to Europe .

One more point. These flowers are to be looked at and NOT EATEN. Recently, there was a nationally reported case of food poisoning which occurred down the road from my house in Tsukuba at the curious and pricey Italian restaurant Toeimon Sakae. The chef, in keeping with the season-conscious aesthetics of Japanese cooking(despite this being an Italian eatery), garnished a dish with the very IN SEASON leaves of hydrangea. These were subsequently consumed by the unsuspecting  diners.

This resulted in what must have been an unforgettable scene, right out of Monty Python. You see, the leaves of ajisai have always been used to induce vomiting, especially when poisons were consumed. Imagine then, the eight customers wretching uncontrollably, spewing out their expensive dinners onto the antique furniture and tatami mats (this restaurant is in a magnificent thatched roof farm house!).Surprisingly,the penalty for this chef`s oversight was a mere one-day suspension of business. 

 while you're out there enjoying the last few AJISAI DAYS remember: LOOK BUT DON'T TASTE.

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.

With the explosion of color and fresh greenery it is easy to overlook another April blossom, which though humble and quite rustic belongs to one of Japan`s (and Tsukuba`s) most common and important crops- the DAIKON RADISH! 

The daikon ( 大根) is an essential part of the Japanese diet YEAR-ROUND in the form of pickles and in soups and stews. Grated,it is also used as a condiment for a variety of dishes such as grilled fish or noodles. 

Daikon no Hana ( flowers of the daikon radish) Tsukuba 2010

Despite being eaten throughout the year, the daikon is considered to be a vegetable representative of winter, the season in which it has been traditionally harvested. 

Many farmers, however, leave some daikon in the fields over the winter, as they keep very fresh in the cold soil. 

Once they start to flower, either in white or purple cross shaped blossoms, the daikon can no longer be eaten. It will be possible to obtain seeds from them, however,and many farmers also leave them in the fields just to let them bloom. 

Flowering daikon- Konda, Tsukuba 2010

With the important role the daikon has played in the diet and folk customs of the people of Ibaraki, as well as its dominance of the Ibaraki`s AGRISCAPES, I sometimes wonder whether this rustic, yet charming flower should not be the PREFECTURAL FLOWER, instead of the high brow rose.

A row of flowering daikon radish in Tsukuba 2010

For more on the Daikon in Japanese culture and history and its special role in Ibaraki Prefecture I have written: 

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/03/the-colder-the-sweeter-farmers-let-their-daikon-radish-chill-out-in-the-soil/ 

and 

http://tengooz.blogspot.com/2008/01/two-legged-daikon-radish-and-dosojin.html

Hagi (bush clover) swaying in the breeze by the side of the road in Tsukuba (2011)

A fundamental element of traditional Japanese culture is seasonality. By this I mean having an awareness of and CELEBRATING each particular time of year. This is practiced by eating IN SEASON foods, taking notice of and appreciating  various natural phenomena ( blossoming flowers, the activities of animals, particular types of clouds or rain, etc.), and by including or displaying standardized seasonal motifs, appropriate to the season, on ones clothing, in hanging scrolls  (which are changed accordingly throughout the year) and other decorative objects. Seasonal key-words ( KIGO) are also used in poems ( and letters).

Over the centuries there have accumulated hundreds of such representive symbols of the season, many of them instantly understood by the average Japanese person.

For example, the chirping of cicadas (in poems, movies, etc.) tells you that the season being evoked is summer. And naturally, when it IS summer, many Japanese consciously take notice of this moving chorus ( while for many foreigners new to Japan, it is merely a disturbing or annoying cacophany!).

For spring there is of course the cherry blossoms, or the call of the bush warbler ( uguisu).

In winter, there are fugu ( pufferfish) and anko ( monkfish), which many Japanese make sure to enjoy ( in hot savory stews) at least once a year in that season.

A closer look a the bush clover`s little flowers ( along route 408 in Tsukuba)

For autumn, there is the moon, which seems so large and near to us in that season. When the moon is full in September, many Japanese make offerings to the moon ( or I guess we could just call them decorations), which include small moon cakes, and two of Japans iconic plants of fall: SUSUKI ( pampas grass) and HAGI ( bush clover).

HAGI, whose Kanji character - 萩, when broken down to its elements actually means AUTUMN GRASS, has long been a beloved plant in Japan, deeply connected with autumn. ( Interestingly, in China the same character refers to a DIFFERENT plant! A type of mugwort. This means that in the Heian Period, the Japanese took that character ( autumn grass), and adopted it for HAGI, which for them symbolized autumn).

The blooming of Hagi, a shrub whose small, purple or white flowers  start appearing in late August, was indeed an important symbol of autumn for the ancient Japanese . In fact, of all the many plants ( about 150) mentioned in the first great collection of Japanese poetry, the Manyoshu ( compiled in the late 8th century, and containing poems written between the years 347 and 759 AD), hagi appears more than any othr (in 140 different poems, in fact)!

Bush clover (hagi) in Tsukuba

I have always found this fact astounding. That of all the plants and flowers in Japan,  bush clover is mentioned most often by the ancient poets. I guess the reason for the fact that I find this so surprising is that while the other outstanding flowers of Japanese culture- the plum blossoms, the cherry blossoms, the irises, the maples trees, the violets, etc., are just that- OUTSTANDING, catching the eye of even those who dont know their names, bush clover is much more difficult to spot and often goes unnoticed in todays Japan ( I didnt realize until LAST YEAR that HAGI grew along many of Tsukuba`s main roads!).

So what was it that so endeared this shrub to the Japanese people of yore.

Well first, hagi bloomed with the first cool breezes of late August signifying the end of Japan`s intolerable ( and unhealthy) summer heat and humidity. The upper classes of the old capitals would go out for hagi-viewing excursions and would bring back some to plant in their own gardens , or as gifts for friends. Women would also decorate their hair with its sprigs ( this is evident from several extant poems).

Just as importantly ( or even more so), this plant ( a member of the pea family), seemed to possess very powerful life-energies. Cut down to a stub, it can grow back out very quickly.( There is a story in the Ancient Chronicles of Harima of how the Empress Jingo, after having just arrived back in Japan from her military adventures in Korea, was astounded at how long a Hagi bush grew overnight).

Also, with its long slender branches that sway continuously even in the slightest breeze ( that is why it is so difficult to photograph well with a cell-phone!), the ancients considered this plant to be representative of the ACTIVE or MALE FORCE ( the YANG), in the same way that the willow was.

In fact in the Manyoshu, the Kanji character used to write HAGI was not today`s 萩. There were a few other ways of writing the name of this plant (pronounced in the same way): 生え木, and 芽木, 芽子、or just 芽、 which literally mean growing tree (or life tree) , sprout tree, sprout child and just plain- sprout, respectively, indicating how this plant represented GROWTH and LIFE to the ancients.

It was often used in former ages as fodder for horses and oxen and was also an important fertilizer, making it an important practical part of people`s lives  well.

And besides being planted in private gardens and temple grounds ( and in the present age in parks and along roads), hagi was also planted in certain areas to prevent soil erosion.

(Checking a book on traditional remedies I have found that the dried roots of hagi were used to treat dizziness and overheating.)

Hagi by the side of the road in Tsukuba

Over the centuries, with the influence of the ancient poets bearing strong, hagi has remained an important symbol of autumn, featured as a motif on painted scrolls, painted screens, kimonos, etc.

There are also records of several major HAGI-VIEWING receptions which have been hosted by the Imperial Family or wealthy aristocrats. These events usually not only involved enjoying the bush clover, but also appreciating the melancholy chirping of various autumn insects which were purposely released onto the grounds for the occassion.

As I have mentioned in my previous post, the special sweet eaten around the time of the autumnal equinox ( today!), is called O-Hagi, giving it a distinctive autumn flavor ( as oppossed to the same sweet eaten around the spring equinox called Botamochi, named after the famed flower of spring, the botan- peony).

So why not celebrate the season! After youve had some chestnut rice ( kuri-gohan), tea and O-Hagi, why dont you get out and take a little walk on this cool ( post typhoon) autumn day . You will surely have plenty of insect music to accompany your wanderings. And keep an eye out for hagi- Im sure you will find some.

And if you would like a more intense bush clover experience, why not head up to Mito, our prefectural capital? There, at the Kairakuen Garden ( so famous for plum blossoms in March) you can find plenty of amzing hagi growing. In fact, I think that in fall, its better than it is in spring ( when it is so incredibly crowded!).

The hagi grows grand at Mito`s Kairakuen Garden

Hagi at the Kairakuen Garden in Mito

Anyway, no matter what you do, enjoy your holiday!

Another one of the great symbols of autumn, often paired with hagi- SUSUKI ( pampas grass), set up as a decoration in front of the cafe Posten, in Hojo

A steaming pile of pig manure, an incessantly barking dog, and a dead crow dangling from a pole- just outside my window to greet me on a fine spring day!

Regular readers of this blog  know how much I enjoy living in Tsukuba. I would like to make it very clear, however, that life out in the Japanese countryside is NOT ALWAYS a bed of roses. In fact, if you are not good at TUNING certain things OUT, and even more importantly- KEEPING YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR ABOUT YOU, you would probably not be able to stay sane around here for very long.

You might remember that I have previously described the annoying bonfires which local farmers seem to keep continously going throughout late autumn and winter. They do this to burn off  their agricultural and other waste, and sometimes to keep themselves warm on cold days. For some it just seems to be a hobby! I have described how the thick, strong smelling smoke these bon-fires give off is frequently blown through open windows into homes and also often leaves laundry hung out to dry smelling....well..... smokey.

And though I usually just LAUGH at the absurdity of  it all whenever I get blasted in the face by a pillar of  smoke after I expectantly open  my window on a beautiful autumn day, I have known other foreign residents who have not taken the matter quite as lightly- some have actually packed up and left Tsukuba, claiming ironically that in Tokyo- that huge gray megalopolis, the air was fresher than it was out here in the country!

Unfortunately, to those whose autumns have been SMOKED OUT by agricultural bonfires, it is NOT POSSIBLE to offer the consolation of things being better in THAT OTHER SEASON in which we would hope to open the windows wide- SPRING.

The truth is they can get MUCH WORSE !

Let me tell you (from today`s  experience) how they can.

When spring finally breaks through winters firm and stubborn hold, and all around fresh greenery and colorful flowers  burst forth , on beautiful days with pleasant breezes, the Japanese might say poetically: KUNPU NO KISETSU NI NARIMASHITA  ( 薫風の季節になりました)- meaning: the season of fragrant winds has come !

This year (2010), spring had been unusually long in coming, and Ive had to use my kerosene heaters ( thats right, no central heating!) until as late as May 12th! There have been few opportunities to open the windows and give the house a very well needed airing out, and to tell the truth I have been starting to feel closed in and claustrophobic.

When I looked out my bedroom window today I was greeted with a sight for sore eyes- Mt Tsukuba in bold green surrounded by dazzling blue skies spotted with puffy white clouds.

I then got a call from a friend, a retired teacher who wanted to confirm our appointement for later in the day.

I said: Good morning! Its a beautiful day! He responded: Yes !  The season of FRAGRANT BREEZES has arrived!

After hanging up, I hurried gleefully downstairs intending to throw open all the windows. On the way down I realized that the neighbors dog was barking even more hysterically than it usually does ( every morning for two hours!), and also heard  the hum of a large vehicle which was apparently backing up ( since it was beeping rhythmically).

Just  as I drew the curtains open, I saw with horror- a whole load of PIG MANURE being dumped right next to my house. I watched wide-eyed as it plopped heavilly onto the ground forming a neat pile. My neighbor will be spreading this out, as he does each year, to fertilize his vegetable field.

 As you can imagine, I put the OPENING THE WINDOWS PLAN on hold, and instead started searching fevervishly for anything with which I could SEAL up any cracks or openings around the windows and doors which might let the imminent stench in.

Still, as if seeping through the walls, my neighborhoods special FRAGRANT WINDS OF SPRING started to fill the room. My head began to swim.

As the dog kept up its crazed barking I  stared out the window in a depressed daze. To add insult to injury, I noticed that as a scarecrow my neighbor had suspended a dead crow from the top of a pole. Was this done purposely to mock me? Does he know that I spend alot of my free time rescuing  live,wild birds who are caught in nets and left suspended upside-down? Couldnt be. I must just be getting paranoid.

I let out a laugh ( what was I gonna do, cry?) This cannot be happening, I thought. But it was. Just another spring day in the Japanese countryside.

For the immediate future, until my neighborhoods own distinctive FRAGRANT WIND OF SPRING dies down  I`ll be staying away from home as much as possible.

.....and I just might start hunting for another place to live . Far from the countryside.Perhaps in Tokyo, or some other big city- where the air is fresh and clear!

An unpleasant scarecrow

 For more on Tsukuba`s smokey winters ( and late autumns) read my articles:

 http://blog.alientimes.org/2008/11/tsukubas-smokey-autumn-air-the-gomi-moshi-problem/

http://blog.alientimes.org/2008/12/more-traditional-functions-of-seasonal-bon-fires-roasting-potatoes-and-toasting-buns/

                                                                   UPDATE !

Where does it stop! A different neighbor burning his waste just by my house on May 17th 2010. Maybe he is trying to smoke out the smell of the manure!

1 Comments

• At May 14, 2010, Dan Waldhoff wrote:

  Aloha,

  Tsukuba Higashi Junior High in Hojo is located just a stone's throw from a large chicken farm. Try that on a hot summer day! It is the smell of money …

  Dan

One of Japan`s many endemic chrysanthemums- at Tsukuba`s botanicla garden

By Avi Landau

When conditions are right, living things reproduce, proliferate and spread. Two of the things that would hinder many life forms from extending the bounds of their territory are large bodies of water and high mountains. For that reason, Japan, a mountainous island nation off the coast of Asia ( which has within its borders numerous smaller islands- some of them far-flung and isolated) is home to many ENDEMIC SPECIES- that is species of animals or plants WHICH CAN BE FOUND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

According to  specialists at Tsukuba`s Botanical Garden, where a special exhibition on Japan`s endemic plants species (KOYU-SH-, 固有種) was held in November, one out of every three of Japan`s approximately 7,000 classified plant species is endemic. That means that within Japanese territiory there are more than 2,000 endemics ( according to a pamphlet given out at the exhibit the exact number is 2,545 species, including sub-species and variants).

I visited the botanical garden several time during that special exhibit and found it to be interesting though NOT spectacular. What I did find exciting was the map showing where the highest concentrations of endemic plants are located. As you can probably guess from what I have said above, the hot spots are either in outer islands, or on high mountains. The eight places with the highest numbers of such species are

1) Chichijima Island in the Ogasawara (Bonin) Island Group- 26 hours by ship from Tokyo.

2) Yakushima Island off the coast of Kagoshima Prefecture ( this island also has a high mountain- Mt Miyauranodake- the highest in southern Japan)

3) Hahajima Island in the Ogasawaras

4) Amami O-Shima Island in the Amami Island Group between Kyushu and Okinawa

5) Mt. Yu-baritake (夕張岳), a 1668 meter tall mountain in Hokkaido

6) The Japanese Southern Alps ( especially Mt. Kita-dake, 3193 meters in height)

7) Mt. Apoi Take in Hokkaido, only 810 meters in height but located on a peninsula on the south-eastern tip of the island

and

8) Mt. Yatsugatake (in Nagano Prefecture)-2899 meters high.

(Though endemic palnts can be found in all parts of Japan - in Ibaraki Prefecture especially along the coast, or on Mt. Tsukuba!)

Endemic chrysanthemums in bloom at Tsukuba`s botanical garden- November 29th 2011)

 The truth is, however, that most ( are even all) of these unique Japanese species are humdrum in appearance, and thus when displayed indoors in pots ( as was the case for this event),  are just not something to write home about.

I found that feeling to be disappointing since each of these plants ARE treasures- which can be found nowhere else in the world.

Well, after the special exhibit was over, I was back at the botanical garden ( with the recent exhibit still in mind) and noticed that among the permanent outdoor displays there were a high percentage of endemics. These are marked by a little yellow sticker ( with a little pencil drawing of Japan on ) which read： 固有種　（ＫＯＹＵ－ＳＨＵ).

At Tsukuba`s botanical garden- this little yellow sticker indicates that a species is endemic- you will be surprised by how many you will find!

When I first realized this fact I started to note their names in my memo book, but as I walked along I found that there were so many of these endemics that I had to give up the task and JUST ENJOY THEM- which I found much easier to do outdoors in a more natural setting

( though in Tsukuba`s late autumn some of these plants- native to subtropical climes- seemed a bit miserable!)

Still in bloom were many of the chrysanthemums sub-species which have developed in the wild in Japan over the centuries ( after they were introduced from China)

Across the bridge, on the other side of the pond, I found Japan`s most special endemic- a tree called the Ko-yamaki. This tree is a GENUS, FAMILY, and SPECIES of its own, and exists only in Japan.

An endemic KO-YAMAKI tree which makes up a whole GENUS, FAMILY, and SPECIES of its own!

As you can imagine, MANY of these unique Japanese plants are endangered- and as you know from the definition of the word- if any of these species disappears from Japan, it means it will be completely lost to the world. Its good to know that scholars and the government are trying to raise awarenwss of these precious organisms.

When you visit the botanical garden ( off Higashi O-Dori)- and you should- OFTEN, keep an eye out for the little yellow endemic species stickers ( dont confuse them for another type used there with an image of Mt. Tsukuba- which indictes flora which can be found on that mountain). These plants might not be spectacular, but you will not see them anywhere else - and they do amaze you with the shear variety of form and function that life on this planet can take.

Another one of Japan`s endemic plant species which grows at Tsukuba`s botanical garden

Getting There By Train
From Tsukuba Station, take the Mt. Tsukuba Shuttle Bus (筑波山シャトルバス -- Tsukuba san shuttle bus) and get off at the entrance to Mt. Tsukuba Shrine (筑波山神社入口 -- Tsukuba san jinja iriguchi). Walk for 5 minutes.

If you come from a station other than Tsukuba Station, and you are planning on using the cable car or ropeway, you might find the Tsukuba Express Mt. Tsukuba Ticket to be convenient.

Events:
April 28(Sat) 11am
Kocarina * Concert at the "outlook floor" of the building in front of Tsukuba Sanchou Station on top of Mt.Tsukuba (*Kocarina is a music instrument from Republic of Hungary )

April 28(sat) 1pm
100 baby azalea trees give away at the cable car(tramway) Miyawaki Station and ropeway(aerial tramway) Tsutsujigaoka Station

May 5(sat) Children's Day 11am
Children's Day free gifts given to first 200 kids at Miyawaki Station and Tsutsujigaoka Station

May 12(Sat) 11am
Machitsuki (pounding of "mochi" or rice cake) and tasting of mochi
at the "outlook floor" in front of aerial tramway Nyotaisan Station. Tasting of mochi is limited to first 200 people.

May 19(Sat) 11am
ガマの油売り口上(performance by a tradionational "Toad's Grease" seller) at the "outlook floor" of the building in front of Tsukuba Sanchou Station

1pm
Charity "Tsukamidori(grabbing)" game at cable car Miyawaki Station　(I don't know what, but it looks like you have a chance to win nice prizes) First 100 people

I don't know how much it'll cost to get into this festival, but it shouldn't be that expensive. The azalea festival in Kasama has already started last weekend. I've been to the one in Kasama twice, and I really liked it!

第３６回笠間つつじまつり(The 36th Kasama Azalea Festival)
April 14(Sat) to May 13(Sun)　8am to 6pm
Admissions: 500yen for adults(high schoolers and up), Junior high kids and under are free

Events:
April 28, 29, May 2, 5 from 10am to 3pm
tea ceremories

May 3 10am to 3pm
琴(koto or Japanese harp) concert

May 4 10am to 12pm
稲荷ばやし(Inari bayashi), traditional Japanese festival music in Kasama

May 4 12pm to 3pm
岩間ばやし(Iwama bayashi), traditional Japanese festival music in Iwama

May 5 10am to 3pm
sales of local produce

The site of Himatsuri, the big pottery fair I mentioned in this blog before, isn't far from this azalea festival, so you can visit two festivals in one day. If you have a time (and energy!), I highly recommend visiting Kasama Inari Shrine near the azalea festival site because the Japanese wisteria at Kasama Inari Shrine is simply just breathtaking!!

ぼたん・しゃくやく・バラ祭り(tree peony, Chinese peony, rose festival)
at Tsukuba Peony Garden
April 21(Sat) to July 15(Sun)
Open 9am to 5pm on weekdays and 8am to 5pm on weekends and holidays Admissions: 800yen for adults, 300yen for kids*

*If your child(ren) attends a public school in Tsukuba, then she/he should have received a free ticket from school last week.

You can eat the soba noodle, made from soba grown in Tsukuba in the restaurant inside this garden.

A special exhibit on サクラソウ(sakurasou or primrose) will also start tomorrow at Tsukuba Botanical Garden. The weather's been crazy lately, but spring is definitely here!

Fallen camellia (tsubaki)

In DEEP SPRING , my household has finally emerged from its state of FUYUGOMORI (冬篭り), the shuttering up, bundling up, and holing up, that those of us living the traditional Japanese way do (that means without central heating!) , for a few months out of each year. Now, when I sit in my tatami-matted Japanese style room, instead of huddling up by the noisy little kerosene heater or hunkering up with my legs roasting in a kotastu (a heated table),  I can open the large windows, one set facing the garden, and the other the DOOMED Nakane Konda-Dai (Nakane Kondadai) woods, and let the warm, pollen heavy breezes drift in, occassionally bringing the intoxicating scent of some newly blossomed flowers to my nose. With this delicious air, and the raucus chatter of birds busy with their mating and nest making rituals, it is just about impossible to concentrate on reading , writing, or anything else for that matter. The only option seems to be to savor the moment.

Tsubaki

One reason for the camellia`s popularity is its deep beauty. Its leaves  are a rich green all year round, and its flowers are a sensuous red, pink or white. The fact that the flowers bloom in early spring (or late winter) have made them an important symbol of that season. In fact, the character used to write tsubaki is not the same as that used in Chinese. It is an original Japanese character (KOKUJI), that uses Chinese elements which mean SPRING TREE (椿）. Because of its evergreen folliage and flowers which bloom in the cold of the early year the year, the camellia had been considered a sacred tree long before the samurai class started frowning upon it. The Emperor, his family and the court used carved ritual sticks of camellia wood, called udzuchi (卯d槌)and utsue (卯杖), to beat the ground and drive away evil, around the New Year. Some scholars also believe that the numerous sacred camellia groves which can be found along the Japan Sea side of Japan were planted by wandering mendicant nuns called BIKUNI (比丘尼), who used camellia wood to perform various rituals.