Monday, March 15, 2010

sunny sunday

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day aside from the pollution in the air, which left a slight haze.

We decided to check out Banpaku Koen. This park was the site of the 1970 World Expo. Since the weather is getting warmer, many flowers have started blooming. Here are some things that we saw...
(top left)Jobitaki (Daurian Redstart) part of the swallow family
(top right) Mansaku (Witch Hazel)
(bottom left) Tsubaki (Camellia Japonica)
(bottom right) The tram that you can take (for a fee) around the park.

(top left) Mitsumata (oriental paper bush) part of the daphne family, this plant's branch branches off into 3 directions then flowers, which is why the Japanese call it mitsumata (literally 3 legs)
(top right) Nanohana (rapeseed blossoms)
(bottom left) an objet that really does look like a barber shaving his customer
(bottom right) Lappa suisen (wild daffodil)
(top left) Tosa mizuki (corylopsis spicata) part of the witch hazel family
(top right) Ume (apricot)
(bottom left) Neko Yanagi (pussy willow)
(bottom right) Asebi (Japanese Andromeda/Lily of the Valley)
(top left) Kanhizakura (Taiwan cherry)
(top right) Boke (flowering quince)
(bottom left) Suisen (narcissus)
(bottom right) Godiva chocolates from Satoshi for White Day (thank you!)

We walked quite a bit I think about 7 km (about 4 miles), but seeing all these flowers and plants was a nice way to end the weekend. Hope you have a great week!

10 comments:

Dennis K. said...

Wow you sure know your flowers! :)

K and S said...

Thanks Dennis, but I like to "surf" to learn about the different plants/flowers we have here :)

Take care.
Kat

jalna said...

Beauuuutiful! I love your identification too.

Kelly said...

Yay! I've been waiting for you to do a post like this and I love ALL the photos. :)

It looks like you had a wonderful day. Walking in the park is one of my favorite things to do, especially in Spring!

K and S said...

Thanks Jalna :)

Take care.
Kat

Deb in Hawaii said...

Great photos and so nice to see everything starting to bloom. ;-)

K and S said...

Hope it is warming up where you are Biologie!

Can't wait for the sakura, Debinhawaii!

Take care you two.
Kat

2kamuela47 said...

Beautiful flowers!

Rowena said...

Every time you share flower pictures from a park, I'm amazed at the variety there is in Japan (love the Japonica). Just an off-the-wall question: how many garden parks are there anyway within say...a twenty mile radius from where you live? I would sooo love it if we had that many public gardens here.

K and S said...

Thanks Laura :)

Rowena,

My perception of miles and kilometers is all wacky, so I am not so sure about the 20 mile radius thingy...There are tiny parks here and there but most do not have many plants/trees. There are two major gardens in Osaka city (that I know of, one near the Osaka castle and one near the Nagai soccer stadium). If I am not mistaken, these two parks do not have an admission fee.

This particular park that we visited, Banpaku Koen, is outside of Osaka city, but still within Osaka prefecture, is several kilometers wide and has an admission fee.

Best time to visit for flowers is Spring. June & July still have some flowers (hydrangea, iris & lotus flowers) but the humidity is quite nasty.

Take care you two.
Kat