Slipping out of Palaceside Building for a wander. Feeling a clear May breeze on your cheek as you walk the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace (Edo Castle), greenery bursting — it really is wonderful.
Yes, this season one wants to say “a refreshing season,” “a refreshing wind…” But “officially” that is wrong. In haiku, “sawayaka” is an autumn season word. Writing a letter, I used it in the opening, felt uneasy, looked it up online and learned. Well, “wrong” is relative. If you feel it is refreshing, winter or summer hardly matters. For letters, though, I will be a little careful. (Embarrassingly, this blog itself wrote a year ago, on May 19, 2016: “A little sweaty, but the wind is refreshing.” Sweat.)
Into the Ninomaru Garden, past Suwa Teahouse, to Ninomaru Pond. The wisteria is over, but pale purple flowers were clustered in front of the trellis (photo above).
Now — iris (ayame) or rabbit-ear iris (kakitsubata)? Someone photographing nearby thought kakitsubata. The Imperial Household Agency site’s “East Gardens flower news” map and bloom report also say kakitsubata.
Around here the green is vivid now, with a few white flowers among it. On the way back from Ninomaru Garden to Hirakawa Gate, in the copse opposite the prefectural-tree corner, I found wild rose (noibara) (photo at right), a rose-family flower. The Agency site says: “Common in hills and fields, about two meters tall. Branches have many sharp thorns. In May and June many fragrant white flowers bloom at the tips. The scent is used in perfume.” Indeed. The fragrance is quite good. If you have the chance, please enjoy it.