Black pearls, rubies, and agates studded in a black evening gown; Black Pearl, exuding such an atmosphere, is undoubtedly a chili pepper. The black leaves bear purple flowers, and eventually, the fruit transitions from purple to dark purple, then to the natural red of chili peppers. The leaves start as young, tender green shoots, gradually transforming into beautiful black leaves. The distinctive feature of Black Pearl is its ability to undergo a diverse range of transformations. Black Pearl received a gold award in the 2006 All-America Selections (National Garden Bureau) competition. While there are many horticultural plants with dark-colored leaves, they are not commonly found in the natural world. This is because many dark-leaved varieties have been carefully selected and stabilized over a long period of time. Among plants with dark-colored leaves, Black Pearl boasts the darkest leaves. Plants generate their own nutrients through photosynthesis, a process heavily reliant on sunlight. However, not all types and amounts of sunlight are equally suitable for photosynthesis, where an enzyme called Rubisco efficiently catalyzes carbon dioxide fixation. This is where leaf color comes into play. While green leaves are common, red leaves and completely black leaves, like those of Black Pearl, are also capable of carrying out photosynthesis by selecting the appropriate sunlight that suits their leaves.

黒真珠、ルビー、メノウを散りばめた黒い夜会服、そんな雰囲気を持つブラックパールはれっきとした唐辛子です。黒葉に紫の花が咲き、やがてその実は紫から黒紫、そして唐辛子本来の赤へ変化します。葉は新芽の時は若葉色、そして緑色に変化し、徐々に美しい黒葉になります。実に多彩な変化をするのがブラックパールの特徴です。ブラックパールは2006年のオールアメリカセレクションズ（全米草花品種審査協会）で金賞を受賞した品種です。ダークカラーの葉を持つものは、園芸植物にはたくさんありますが、自然界にはあまり多くは見られません。それは、ダークリーフの多くが今まで長い時間をかけて選別され、固定化してきたものだからです。ブラックパールはそんなダークカラーの葉を持つ植物の中でも最も黒い葉を持っています。植物は光合成をすることによって自主栄養を作り出します。その時に重要なのは太陽光ですが、この太陽光を無限に取り入れてよいものではなく、光合成において二酸化炭素固定を触媒するRubisco（ルビスコ）という酵素が効率よく働く太陽光の種類と量が大切なわけです。それが葉の色によって違うわけで、緑色が一般的ですが、赤い葉やブラックパールのように真っ黒い葉も、その葉に適した太陽光を選択して光合成をおこなっています。

Following along the mountain stream for a short distance from the nearby village, you’ll find the Shuukaidou (Hardy Begonia) thriving, covering the rocky outcrops with its lush growth. Amidst its large, vibrant green leaves, you’ll notice tiny flowers scattered and blooming. True to its name, it exudes a charming and distinctly autumnal allure. Retaining a wild charm and evoking a Japanese aesthetic, it is a mysterious flower. Despite often being thought of as native to Japan due to its semi-wild presence throughout the country, the Shuukaidou is actually an introduced species that arrived from China in the early Edo period. It earned the name ‘Hardy Begonia’ because it bears flowers similar to those of the Rose family’s KaiDou (Begonia) in the autumn. Its flowering season ranges from late July to mid-October, and it comes in white and pink varieties, known for their sparkling, glistening quality when touched by sunlight. It produces numerous small flowers, about 3cm in size, on stems that emerge from the leaves’ base. There are both male and female flowers, with the conspicuous yellow ovaries of the female flowers catching the eye. In English, it is referred to as ‘Hardy Begonia’ due to its cold-hardiness, and it is also known by the name ‘Elephant ear,’ highlighting its large leaves.

近くの集落から谷川に沿って少し進むと、シュウカイドウ(秋海棠)が岩肌を覆う様に生い茂っています。大きな緑濃い葉に比べて余りにも小さな花が散らばって咲いています。その名の通り、いかにも秋を思わせる楚々とした風情が魅力です。野趣感を残していて、和の趣を感じさせる不思議な花です。シュウカイドウは、日本の各地で半野生化していることから、日本原産と思われがちですが、江戸時代の初め頃に中国から渡来した帰化植物です。バラ科のカイドウ(海棠）に似た花を秋に咲かせていることから、秋海棠との名がつきました。開花期は７月下旬〜10月中旬頃で、花色は白、ピンクがあり、日が差すとキラキラと光るラメのような質感が特徴的です。葉のわきから花茎を伸ばし、３cm前後の小さな花を多数咲かせます。雄花と雌花があり、雌花の黄色い子房が目立ちます。英語では「Hardy begonia（耐寒性のあるベゴニア）」と呼ばれます。また、大きな葉に注目したElephant earという呼び名もあります。

Amaryllis is usually thought of as a flower that blooms in spring, but until recently, even gardeners and florists used to refer to flowers of the hippeastrum family, which are a different variety from the original amaryllis, as amaryllis. So it’s confusing. To distinguish the true amaryllis from the Hippeastrum variety, it came to be called ‘Honma Amaryllis.’ Unlike many species commonly referred to as amaryllis (belonging to the Hippeastrum genus) that produce both leaves and flowers simultaneously, the Honma Amaryllis (belonging to the Amaryllis genus) lacks leaves above ground during its flowering period, resembling the way Higanbana flowers bloom.
While the commonly known amaryllis is native to Central and South America, the Honma Amaryllis originates from South Africa and is also known as the Belladonna Lily. ‘Belladonna’ means ‘beautiful lady’ in Italian. It was introduced to Japan towards the end of the Meiji era. Its flowering season spans from midsummer to early autumn, with flower stems extending from the bulb to produce around 10 or more blossoms at their tips. The flower stems can reach heights of 50cm to 70cm. The flowers are trumpet-shaped with wide openings, similar to lilies, and come in delicate shades of pink, white, and red.
Similar to the Higanbana, the leaves of the Honma Amaryllis wither before summer, and in the autumn, only the flowers appear and bloom. Although they are less numerous than Higanbana, their elegant appearance adds a unique touch of beauty to the autumn scenery, distinct from the Higanbana, enhancing the colors of the season.

通常、アマリリスと言うと、春に咲く花とイメージされがちですが、本来のアマリリスとは別品種のヒッペアストラム族の花を、少し前までは、園芸家や花屋までもがアマリリスと言っていたので混乱します。そこで、ヒッペアストラム族のアマリリスと区別するために、本来のアマリリスをホンマアマリリスと呼ぶ様になりました。一般に言うアマリリス(ヒッペアストルム属)の多くの種が花と一緒に葉も展開させるのに対し、ホンアマリリス(アマリリス属)は開花時にはヒガンバナのように地上部に葉がありません。通称のアマリリスが中南米が原産地であるのに対して、ホンマアマリリスは南アフリカ原産で、別名ベラドンナ・リリーといいます。ベラドンナとはイタリア語で「美しい淑女」と言う意味です。日本には明治の末に入ってきました。開花期は真夏から初秋で、球根から花茎をにゅっと伸ばしてその先端に10輪前後の花を咲かせます。花茎は高さ50cm～70cmにもなります。花は筒状で先端が大きく開き、ユリに似ていて、色は淡いピンクや白、紅色があります。彼岸花と同様、夏の前に葉が枯れ、秋には花だけが現れ咲きます。彼岸花に比べて数も少なく目立ちませんが、気品のある花姿は、彼岸花とはまた違った意味で、秋の景色に彩りを添えます。

I remembered this while looking at the “Manjushage” flowers, but there’s a haiku by Kitahara Hakushu that goes, “On the kaya tree, With kaya nuts now hanging, Loneliness descends,” which means the loneliness felt when kaya nuts grow on a kaya tree, signaling the arrival of winter. Kaya is an evergreen coniferous tree that can grow up to 20 meters tall, with a trunk circumference of up to 3 meters. It blooms with flowers in spring, around April to May, and its fruit forms in September to October of the following year. The fruit is wrapped in thick green skin, and when you peel it, you find sticky reddish-brown seeds. You can’t eat them as they are, so after removing the bitterness in various ways and roasting them, you get nuts with a flavor reminiscent of a mixture of chestnuts and walnuts.
A long time ago, when I went to Nozawa Onsen, I remembered that I was using the hot spring water to remove the scum from the kaya nuts that I had placed in a net. Furthermore, kaya has been used since the Jomon period not only for food but also for lamp oil and anthelminthic. Its wood is excellent for carving Buddhist statues, making top-quality Shogi boards, and Go boards.

「曼珠沙華(ひがんばな)」で思い出しましたが、北原白秋の俳句に「榧の木に榧の実のつくさびしさよ」と言う句があります。榧の木に榧の実がついてもう冬が来ると感じるさびしさよ、と言う意味の句です。榧は常緑針葉樹の高木で、樹高は20mにも達し、幹回りは３mにもなります。春の４〜５月に花を咲かせ、実は翌年の9 〜10月にできます。実は緑色の厚い皮に包まれていて、皮を剥くとねばねばの赤褐色の種がでます。このまま食べることはできないので、様々の方法でアク抜きをして炒ると、栗と胡桃が混ざった様な味のナッツができあがります。昔、野沢温泉に行った時、湧き湯で網に入れた榧の実のアク抜きをしていた事を思い出しました。また、榧は、縄文の昔から、食用だけでなく、灯油や虫下しにも使われましたし、木は材質としても優れ、仏像彫刻や、最高級の棋盤や碁盤にも使われます。

The red spider lilies have gradually swollen their buds, and this morning, a few of them have bloomed. There are still many buds to go, but they will surely be in full bloom by the equinox. It marks the true beginning of autumn. Over the past three years, a sense of closure prevailed due to the pandemic, and last year’s start was tentative. However, this year, it’s in full swing. People have been coming out everywhere since spring, and there’s been a surge in crowds at summer festivals, fireworks displays, and Bon dances. Yet, even as I watch the news on TV, the phrase “recovered to 70% of pre-COVID levels” is frequently used, suggesting we haven’t reached 100% or more. While it may not be as clear-cut as ‘heat and cold until the equinox,’ I believe that around this autumn equinox, we will go beyond 100% or more. Foreign tourists have also started to stand out, and I expect their numbers to increase even more. It’s a joyful development. However, personally, as I see the red spider lilies like this, I’ve also been reminded of the many people who have recently passed away, and there have been more occasions to remember them. It’s a complex mix of feelings.

徐々に蕾を膨らましてきた彼岸花、今朝は数本が花を開いていました。まだまだ蕾が多いですが、あっと言う間に開花は進み、お彼岸までには満開になるでしょう。本格的な秋の幕開けです。ここ３年間はコロナ禍で閉塞感が漂い、昨年は恐る恐るの幕開けでしたが、今年は満開です。春以来何処とも人出は増え、夏祭り、花火大会、盆踊りには溢れんばかりの人出です。しかし、テレビの報道を見ていても、「コロナ前の70%の回復」と言う表現が多く、１００%またはそれ以上とは行っていない様です。「暑さ寒さも彼岸まで」ではないですが、この秋の彼岸あたりから、１００%またはそれ以上に行くはずです。外国からの観光客も目立ち始めましたが、もっともっと増えるはずです。嬉しい事です。ただ個人的には、こうして彼岸花を見るにつけ、最近お亡くなりになった人も少なからずいて、故人を偲ぶ機会も多くなりました。複雑な気持ちです。

Today, September 9th, is the “Chōyō no Sekku” in Japan. It is one of Japan’s five seasonal festivals, also known as the “Chrysanthemum Festival.” On this day, people decorate with chrysanthemum flowers and enjoy sake with chrysanthemum petals, praying for long life and good health. However, it’s a bit strange because the peak season for chrysanthemums is a little later in October. This discrepancy is due to the mix of the lunar and solar calendars in Japan’s calendar system. “Chōyō no Sekku” is an event on the old lunar calendar on the 9th of September, which corresponds to around October 10th on the current solar calendar.
The five seasonal festivals are Jinjitsu on January 7th, Hinamatsuri on March 3rd, Tango no Sekku on May 5th, Tanabata on July 7th, and Chōyō on September 9th.
Currently, festivals related to children, such as Peach Festival, Tango Festival, and Tanabata, are widely enjoyed as celebratory events. However, “Chōyō no Sekku” has become less familiar over time. The tradition of celebrating “Chōyō no Sekku” among the common people began during the Edo period, with the custom of eating chestnut rice on this day. Among the common people, it also became known as the “Chestnut Festival.” This tradition has been passed down to the present day, and chestnut rice is an essential menu item for “Chōyō no Sekku,” even to the extent that some nurseries and schools serve it in their school lunches.

今日９月9日は「重陽（ちょうよう）の節句」です。日本の五節句の1つで、「菊の節句」とも言われ、菊の花を飾ったり、菊の花びらを浮かべたお酒を楽しんだりして長寿や無病息災を祈願する日とされています。しかし、菊の見頃はもう少し先の10月に入ってからですからおかしな話です。これも、太陰暦と太陽暦が入れ混じる日本のカレンダー事情に起因します。「重陽の節句」は旧暦の９月９日の行事で、この日は今の10月10日前後に当たります。
五節句とは、1月7日の人日、3月3日の上巳、5月5日の端午、7月7日の七夕、9月9日の重陽です。
 現在は桃の節句、端午の節句、七夕など、子どもにかかわる節句が、広く祝いの行事として楽しまれていますが、「重陽の節句」は馴染みが薄くなってしまっています。「重陽の節句」の行事が庶民にまで広がったのは江戸時代からで、その日に栗ご飯を食べる習慣が生まれ、庶民の間では「栗の節句」とも呼ばれるようなりました。これが現代にも引き継がれ、栗ご飯は「重陽の節句」には欠かせないメニューになっていて、栗ご飯が給食に出される保育園や学校もあるほどです。

Situated at the foot of Mount Takamado (432m), which stretches to the south of Kasugayama in the southeast of Nara’s city center, Byakugo Temple overlooks the Nara Basin, offering a picturesque view. This temple is also renowned for its Hagi flowers (bush clover). The Manyoshu, a famous collection of Japanese poetry, includes a verse: ‘In the fields of Takamado, the autumn Hagi blooms and scatters in vain, with no one to see it.’
The name ‘Byakugo Temple’ first appears in historical records during the Kamakura period, and the exact origins of the temple remain unclear. According to tradition, it was originally a villa of Prince Shiki, the seventh son of Emperor Tenchi, and this villa was later converted into a temple. However, there are various theories, including one that suggests it was founded as a result of Emperor Tenchi’s imperial decree. It remains a mysterious temple with uncertain origins.
On the evening of August 15th, the day before the Great Fire Festival (Daimonji) in Kyoto, Daimonji (a large bonfire) is also lit on Mount Takamado. However, this tradition is not well-known to people outside of Nara. From the summit of Mount Takamado, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the Nara Basin. In the distance, the Ikoma Mountain Range is visible, followed by the Osaka Plain and the Osaka Bay. In the foreground, Todai-ji Temple can be seen, and to the north of it lies Wakakusayama (Mount Wakakusa), with a distant view of Kyoto.
It is a perfect place to contemplate Japan’s early history during its founding period.

奈良市街地の東南部、春日山の南に連なる高円山(432m)の山麓にあり、境内から奈良盆地が一望できる景勝地に建つ白毫寺は萩の名所でもあります。「高円の 野辺の秋萩 いたづらに 咲きか散るたむ 見る人なしに」と万葉集にも詠まれています。
白毫寺という寺号が史料にみられるのは鎌倉時代以後のことで、寺の草創については明確ではありません。伝えでは天智天皇の第七皇子、志貴皇子の離宮があり、その山荘を寺としたとされていますが、他にも天智天皇の勅願によるなど諸説ある謎のお寺です。
京都大文字の前日８月15日には高円山にも大文字の火が灯されますが、奈良に住む人以外にはあまり知られていません。高円山の頂上からは奈良盆地が一望できます。その遥か向こうに生駒連山が見え、その向こうには大阪平野、さらに大阪湾が広がっています。手前には東大寺が小さく見えますし、その北には若草山、さらに京都が遠望できます。
草創期の日本に想いを馳せる格好の場所です。

I recently realized the difference between the katakana word “ハナニラ” and the kanji word “花ニラ,” which represents the character “花” (flower). “ハナニラ” refers to an ornamental plant, while “花ニラ” is an edible plant, and they are entirely different varieties.
“ニラ” (Chinese chives) is primarily used for its leaves, which have a distinct aroma that enhances various dishes such as stir-fries, hot pots, and dumpling fillings. In terms of nutrition, it is a rich source of carotene, vitamin B2, vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and other nutrients. During late summer to autumn, “ニラ” produces white six-petaled flowers in clusters of 30 to 50 on elongated, flat stems that emerge from between its leaves, forming a semi-spherical shape. This is what we refer to as “花ニラ,” and it is also used for culinary purposes.
On the other hand, “ハナニラ” produces star-shaped flowers at the tip of a single stem. Its leaves resemble those of “ニラ,” and they share a garlic-like aroma, making them look very similar. However, it’s important to note that the leaves of “ハナニラ” are toxic, and occasionally, people mistakenly consume them, leading to poisoning incidents.
Another distinction is that “花ニラ” blooms during this season, while “ハナニラ” blooms in the early spring, allowing you to differentiate them in this aspect as well.

カタカナの「ハナニラ」とハナが漢字である「花ニラ」の違いに最近まで気付きませんでした。「ハナニラ」は観賞用植物で「花ニラ」は食用植物で全く別の品種なんですね。
ニラ（韮）は主に葉を食用にし、独特の香りが料理を引き立て、炒め物や鍋物、餃子の具などに使われる野菜です。栄養面でも、カロテン、ビタミンB2、ビタミンC、カリウム、カルシウムなどを含む栄養豊富な植物です。このニラが、晩夏から秋にかけて、細長く平らな葉の間から伸びた花茎の先に、白い６弁花が３０～５０輪、半球形になって花を咲かせます。これが「花ニラ」です。「花ニラ」ももちろん食用に供します。
一方、「ハナニラ」は1本の茎の頂点に星形の花を一つだけ咲かせます。葉はニラとよく似ていて、香りもニンニクの香りがし、そっくりです。しかし、「ハナニラ」の葉は有毒で、ニラの葉と間違えて食べ、中毒を起こす人が時々います。
「花ニラ」はこの時期に花が咲きますが、「ハナニラ」は春先に花が咲き、この点でも区別できます。

With its dignified posture and elegant flower color, the language of flowers for this plant is “Unchanging love, purity, sincerity, and elegance.” Despite such symbolic meanings, the blooming bellflower is full of vitality. Just a few days ago, it had swollen buds resembling purple paper balloons, but perhaps enticed by the coolness of the mornings and evenings in recent days, they all burst into bloom simultaneously. It sounds like you can hear the sound of flowers blooming, one after another. The bellflowers that began to bloom from the mid-June rainy season take a break in the midst of summer. In this scorching heat, both people and flowers are alike. And now, bellflowers, counted among the seven autumn herbs, are finally taking the stage. However, the bellflowers lined up at the flower shop are mostly cultivated varieties, and it has become rare to see them bloom in the wild. When you go to the mountains, you often find yourself captivated by the bellflowers blooming between the rocks, but bellflowers are now an endangered species. Bellflowers have been cherished since the Manyoshu (the oldest anthology of Japanese poetry), but even in cultivated varieties, they bloom so beautifully, providing some consolation at the very least.

凛とした佇まいと気品のある花色から、その花言葉は「 変わらぬ愛、清楚、誠実、気品」 。そんな花言葉とは無関係に、咲いた桔梗は元気溌剌そのものです。数日前までは紫色の紙風船の様な蕾を膨らませていましたが、ここ数日の朝晩の涼しさに誘われたのか、一斉に花開きました。ポンポンポンと花開く音が聞こえて来そうです。６月中旬の梅雨時分から咲き始めた桔梗も夏の最中は一休み。この酷暑では人も花も同じです。そして今、秋の七草に数えられる桔梗もいよいよ出番です。しかし、花屋さんにヅラっと並んでいる桔梗はほとんどが栽培種で、自生で咲く姿は見られなくなってしまいました。山に行くと、岩間から咲く山桔梗に見惚れることがよくありましたが、桔梗は今や絶滅危惧種です。万葉以来親しまれてきた桔梗ですが、栽培種でもこんなに綺麗に咲くのですから、せめてもの慰めです。

Regardless of scorching heatwaves, the resilient Saru-suberi continues to bloom vigorously. While many flowers wither during the daytime despite blooming in the mornings and evenings, both the Saru-suberi and Kyochikuto (oleander) keep blooming throughout the day. Originally from southern China, they are distributed across tropical regions worldwide. Despite enduring such prolonged hot weather, they continue to bloom just as they did in the past. Whenever I see Saru-suberi during this season, it fills me with a sense of having weathered this summer. Although Saru-suberi is said to have arrived in Japan before the Edo period, it blooms for nearly 100 days, as its alternative name ‘百日紅’ suggests. The name ‘crape myrtle’ in English also derives from the way its petals curl, resembling the texture of summer crape fabric.

猛暑日もなんのその、元気に咲き続けたサルスベリ(百日紅)が今も元気に咲いています。朝晩は咲いても昼間は萎れている花が多いなか、サルスベリとキョウチクトウ(夾竹桃)だけは昼間も咲いていました。中国南部が原産で世界の熱帯各地に分布する^[とは言え、猛暑日がこんなに続いても、昔通りに咲いています。いつもこの時期に見るサルスベリを見るたびに、ああこの夏を乗り切ったと言え感慨が湧きます。サルスベリは日本へは江戸時代以前に渡来したと言われていますが、百日紅の別名どおり100日近く咲き続けます。木肌の特徴から付いたサルスベリは日本独特の名称で、その様な意味合いを持った名称は外国にはない様で、花の柔らかさに着目した名称が多い様です。英語名の「crape myrtle」も花弁が夏肌着のクレープのように縮れていることから付いた呼び名です。