Past their peak though they are, azaleas around the Palaceside Building still wear beautiful flowers and color the streetscape. Especially striking is Otemabori Green Space, across from Marubeni headquarters, where a bronze statue of Wake no Kiyomaro stands. Pink, red, and white blossoms brighten the neighborhood.
Azaleas have been loved in Japan since ancient times; they appear even in the Manyoshu. The characters 躑躅 are said to be among the hardest plant names to read, alongside 薔薇 (bara, rose) and 葡萄 (budo, grape). The first character 躑 carries senses such as “to linger” or “to stamp the feet”; 躅 likewise means “to scrape the feet” or “to struggle.” Together they mean “a state in which walking does not advance.” The characters were used, it is said, because the beauty stops people in their tracks.
The contrast of azalea flowers and fresh green is, indeed, beautiful.