Flower - Plum

Kyoto Imperial Gardens that surround Kyoto Imperial Palace have a lot of greens, with a lot of flowers coming with them. Even the coldest month of the year ushers in some flowers.

Only in recent years I have come to appreciate the transient beauty of cherry blossoms like ordinary  Japanese, but that's all for flowers.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of Rinpa school of Japanese painting, which had blossomed mainly in Kyoto from late 16th century to 20th century. It is said that the influence of its lineage is second only to Kano school. One of the most important figures in Rinpa school is Ogata Korin, whose masterpieces include depiction of red and white plum blossoms(Japanese plum, to say exactly). Japanese painting has been alien to me, but I am trying them for two weeks. I like to take guide-interpreter qualification test. The qualification requires the understanding of Japanese history, including history of art. Just reading book is boring, so I tried what the great artist in the past might have appreciated. View the real blossoms in the real condition.

Here is winter sweet or rou-bai, in yellow. I had thought that there may be yellow plum but that is not the case.

Winter sweet or rou-bai in Kyoto Imperial Gardens, 08-Feb-2015

Plum blossom is expected from late February, but there are already some in early February in this year. In the modern days, flower viewing almost always means viewing of cherry blossoms, but in ancient times it was plum blossoms rather than cherry blossoms when noblemen talked about flower viewing.

Plum tree in Kyoto Imperial Gardens, 08-Feb-2015

Red plum blossoms in Kyoto Imperial Gardens, 08-Feb-2015