談山神社

談山神社

3.01.2012

The beauty of Japanese Apricot(Plum or Ume)



Kankobai-plum(寒紅梅)


Japanese apricot(Ume or plum) blossom is late  because of so cold in this year. But the  precocious Ume were in full bloom and the normal start blooming Ume were coming out in twos and threes at Osaka-Castle ume garden. I expected much more plum blossom at the garden. It's a disappointment.
But taking photos,  I realized the plum in full bloom is gorgeous but it's hard to take it perfectly  as many plums catch my eye. While a few flowers  have started to bloom in the cold air are fresh, graceful and we can enjoy the tree shape,too. I thought  it's lovely not only full bloom but also around Ume trees have  started to blossom.
According to the experts, generally the first flower in a Ume branch is more massive than the flowers bloom later in the same branch.



So when we enjoy Ume thoroughly, the beginning of bloom may be more charming than in full bloom.
Come to think of it,  Ume has been drawing on  the Japanese kimono or the Byobu(Japanese folding screen) from a long time ago.  I think those Ume are in  around the beginning of bloom in many cases.

Therefore the beauty of Ume for Japanese may be in  around the beginning of bloom. Of course, it depends on individual sense.




Red and White Plum Blossoms on the byobu by Ogata Korin in the 18centry(national treasure) image:by wikipedia








Kagoshimakou-plum(鹿児島紅)


Tojibai-plum(冬至梅)is in a full bloom






Talking of ume trees in the garden, the matured trunks are preferred. They bend like a hook. Young branches grow upward but gradually they grow sidewards and gardeners trim them in hooked shape many times. So the matured trunk has fine flavor.

The plum garden in the Osaka-Castle-Park




I sometimes drive on the freeway beside the Osaka-Castle  on my way back to my house from my mother's house in the night. The Castle-Tower is illuminated in the center of the dark grove surrounded by the showy city lights when I see it from the freeway.
The Castle-Tower shining  golden in the night's darkness  remind me of the glory of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who governed Japan.


At first the castle was surrounded by the double moat. So it was invulnerable  castle. But after the death of Hideyoshi, after damping soil into the moat, the castle fell to the enemy. A young general who is a son of Hideyoshi and his beautiful mother committed suicide by daggers in the burning castle. Sad story.


I went Osaka-Castle at daytime after an interval of twelve years. I was surprised the appearance of the Castle-Tower was changed. So white wall, golden tigers on the wall, golden killer-whales on the roof repaired recently were dazzling. I heard this imitates Hideyoshi's Osaka-Castle.


The Osaka-Castle-Tower


Indeed, this present Castle-Tower is the third-generation and was built in A.D. 1931 by the contribution of citizen.
The first-generation Castle-Tower was built in A.D.1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi but it burnt down in A.D.1615 by the battle for supremacy of Japan.


                   This post is linked Our World Tuesday

18 件のコメント:

cosmos さんのコメント...

今年のウメは開花が遅れましたね。今日のこの暖かさでやっと見頃が迎えられそうですね。
咲き始めの梅は美しさのエッセンスが凝縮されているのでしょうか。成程ほんとに美しいです。どの色も美しいですが、特に白梅、それと薄いピンク色の写真が好きです。
私もどこに梅見に行こうか、わくわくしています。

Tomoko さんのコメント...

ウメの開花の遅れは20数年ぶりだそうですね。まだかまだかと首を長くして待ちきれず、今日大和文華館に行きましたが、やはり咲いていませんでした。あと数日かかりそうです。Saraさんのウメの写真はどれも優しくて、香りが漂って来そうですね。特に寒紅梅が好きです。なんとも表現しようが無いほど上品で華やかです。
Tomoko

Arti さんのコメント...

Such beautiful Ume blossoms. Especially the bright pink ones, they look wonderful. The Osaka garden must be a delight to see with your own eyes. Also the castle tower looks so grand.
Beautiful pics, Thanks for sharing them with us.
Have a nice day Sarah:)

stardust さんのコメント...

大阪城公園ではもうこれだけ咲いているのですね。この中では優しいピンク色のが好きです。花も葉もない冬でも見事な枝ぶりを披露している梅たちはそのように剪定されているのですね。いつどこへ梅見に行こうかなとわくわくした気持ちになりました。

ruma さんのコメント...

Hello, sarah.

  Awe inspiring your works...
  It lets me feel warmth with the humanity.

  Thank you for your usual visit and heart.
  The prayer for all peace.

匿名 さんのコメント...

So many beautiful blossoms!

Especilly I love the color of the japanese apricot.

Many greetings from Imke

Tania さんのコメント...

Hi Sarah!
This flowers are so romantic and beautiful. It smells Spring all away to me in north.. Great pictures! I've tried to take pictures of flowers (crocus) to day, to a project at my work, but it is not easy.

Thanks for your visits and all nice comments on my blog.

Hope you have a blessed weekend
Hugs from Tania

haricot さんのコメント...

大阪城の庭の梅はもうこんなに咲きほこっているのですね。改装されてからまだ訪れていません。あの金の茶室はどうも馴染めないですが、梅林は美しいですねえ。ブログで味わうことができました。

Doru Agafiţei さんのコメント...

Amazing captures!
Thanks for taking the time to comment on my blog! It is a reflection!

Angelika Poe さんのコメント...

Hi Sarah, the Japanese apricot is gorgeous, so delicate and yet so elegant, I hope they survive the cold and prepare well then you and all the other people there enjoy ...

Silving さんのコメント...

Hi, these photos and these flowers are gorgeous! I am reading a book now about China, it is not the same,I know, but though I can relate to some photos ;)

LifeRamblings さんのコメント...

a wonderful look at your world. such gorgeous blooms and your photos are so wonderfully captured. lovely colours and textures and the tower looks majestic.

Gattina さんのコメント...

The flower pictures are gorgeous and the castle looks very interesting !

Wendy さんのコメント...

Your pics are beautiful! Thanks for sharing. I love the castle too. So ancient and full of history.

snowwhite さんのコメント...

高校がこの近くでしたので、三年間、大阪城の天守閣をみてすごしました。その頃は、まわりは草むらで手入れもされずに草ぼうぼうでしたが、大阪城公園はすごく変わりましたね。今では市民のオアシスです。
今でもなつかしく、近くへ来たときは少し足を延ばして大阪城を見に行きます。梅園も見に行きましたが、今年は本当に遅いですね。
鉄筋コンクリートとはいえ、本当に美しいお城です。
お写真を見ていると、もう一度行ってみたくなりました。

Forest Dream Weaver さんのコメント...

Hello Sarah,
Lovely blossom and photos!
The walls surrounding the castle are really beautiful,like sculptures but why are they sloping,it would have made climbing easier.The idea of filling the moat with soil is interesting,I wonder how often this happened in other places!

Enjoy your week,
Ruby

sarah さんのコメント...

Ruby,
The height of the stone wall is about 30 meters. The lower part of the stone wall sloped but the upper part of it is vertical. Slopes make the wall steady. The surface of the stone wall is flat and there are not juts. Because small stones are filled gaps between big stones by a group of expert.

I think the idea of filling the moat with soil is not in other places. This is a kind of trap, I think.After Toyotomi Hideyoshi died, his young son and wife were remained. And the power of Tokugawa Ieyasu became big. So they started the battle. But they couldn't finalize and they had a peace talks. One of them is that filling the moats with soil. After about four months Tokugawa Ieyasu attacked Osaka-Castle.

Thank you for your comment.

Arti さんのコメント...

Hello Sarah,

Pleasing pictures as usual. The castle looks so grand and fascinating especially since we dont get to see them in India and the blooms are wonderful.

Wishing you a blessed days ahead,

~Arti