Other spring flowers

Although the flowers at this time of the spring aren't as glamorous as the peach, plum, and cherry blossoms as early spring, the azaleas, hydrangeas, and many other flowers in late spring are gorgeous. I love looking at them up close. It's a practice that reveals a lot more than a splash of colors.

I recently went to the Nezu Museum and they had an Iris art exhibition and an iris garden, it is very beautiful.

I took some images today of wildflowers growing along the riverbank (Homan River) in Ogori, Fukuoka. I don't know what they are called, but all three of these flowers were blooming. I also went to the biggest fuji-dana (wisteria trellis) in town, to see how they are doing. It's probably about ten days away from blooming. The wisteria are at a nearby jinja and are said to be first planted by the warlord who was victorious during the Battle of Chikugogawa (1359) to atone for the many samurai who lost their lives during the battle. It is also said that after the battle, the lord washed his sword in a river and the place where he washed it is known as Tachiarai (meaning washing of the sword). If these flowers are symbolic of the atonement of war dead, then perhaps they didn't all die in vain.

Shimizu Park in Noda City is famed for its variety of flowers and it's one of the 100 Cherry Blossom spots. This week I noticed some color in the trees at the adjacent Noda General Park - wild wisteria climbing the branches. There are more climbing the evergreens on the jogging paths. Did they self-propagate, I wonder?

My friends want to see the wisteria here this weekend: Owari Tsushima Wisteria Festival

www.aichi-now.jp

<b>Eight Intoxicating Seasonal Views of the Tenno River</b> Surrounded by green avenues of trees, Tennogawa Park is laid out around Maruike, an elliptical pond which is also a remnant of the Tenno River, a tributary of the Saya River that once flowed through Tsushima City. This Tenno River flowed through the center of town until the Edo period, but became a cove and eventually Maruike as a result of accumulating earth and sand. The seasonal changes that color the park of water that is Tennogawa Park are truly beautiful, and in spring, the cherry blossoms that bloom all over the park are a highlight. Around Golden Week (Golden Week is a holiday week in Japan from the end of April to early May) the baton is passed to wisteria, and the Owari Tsushima Wisteria Festival is held. From the beginning of summer, water lilies bloom in the area around the bridge in Nakanoshima and delight visitors with their pretty white petals.

I’m in the Tokai area ^^

The azalea grove at Shimizu Park in Noda City is a riot of color right now.

Kasukabe City will hold Fuji Matsuri, the wisteria festival this coming weekend, for the first time in a few years.

Yes, I'm a big fan of magnolias, azaleas, and wisteria. I like the white varieties of magnolias. Magnolias have some significance in Buddhism and Shinto, so you can often find them in gardens in temples and shrines. Azaleas come in all kinds of colors. They are also common in gardens of temples and shrines. Wisteria is the city flower for both Ogori and neighboring Chikushino, so they are featured on manhole covers for both cities, as well as a few other cities in the area.

A fellow blogger helped out with a post, How to source info about other spring flowers.