“Light purple little stars”

There were little flowers in the grass in the park along the muddy canal. They are called “Hinagikyou(means small balloon-flower)” because their flowers resemble Japanese ballon-flower(means Kikyou). The little flowers, shaped like stars and swaying in the sea breeze, made me feel that summer had arrived. [JUNE 2025]

Wahlenbergia marginata

夏がやって来ると、草むらで細い茎を揺らしている、ヒナギキョウ。１センチほどの小さな花を咲かせます。その色はうす紫色ですが、よく見ると趣深い色合いで、色名で言うなら「紅碧」が近そうです。

“Crab moving forward”

I went to the mouth of the river that runs near the industrial road. The sea had receded and turned into mudflat. Walked on mudflats with stones and puddles. There were many round-bodied crabs. On closer inspection, those crabs were walking forward. They didn’t notice me and hide under stones like other crabs, but moved around looking for food. [2025 JUNE]

Pyrhila pisum 

マメコブシガニは、潮間帯に生息するカニの一種です。その特徴は、甲羅が丸く盛り上がっており、また、歩脚の関節が自由に動くので、前に歩きます。貝などを食べる肉食性です。

“Grasshopper with buzzing sounds”

It is now early summer and firefly season. Some time after sunset, I went to the rice fields and saw more 20 fireflies flying around. A very intense grasshopper noise was heard, along with a chorus of many frogs. The species that appear in autumn are often encountered. It was pleasing to find that the species that appear in early summer have not yet been lost. [JUNE 2025]

Xestophrys javanicus

ヘイケボタルがあらわれる田んぼのそばで、耳に痛いほどの激しさで鳴いていたのは、シブイロカヤキリ。カヤキリが秋に鳴くのに対し、シブイロカヤキリは、晩秋に羽化してすぐ越冬し、春から初夏にかけて鳴きます。

“Caterpillars on privet tree”

In spring, one of the trees that flowers in the woods is the privets. There are “border privets” and “Japanese wax-leaf privets” in this woods. The wax from these trees was used to make candles. Were they also used in the region? On this day, the larvae of the moth that feed on privet leaves were found on the branches. Its adults have eye-patterned wings and its English name is “owl moth”.  [May 2025]

Brahmaea japonica

イボタノキは、春に雑木林で白い花を咲かせます。木から取れる蝋は、ロウソクの原料などに用いられたそうです。イボタノキやネズミモチを食草とするイボタガは、独特な翅の模様をもつ大型の蛾で、春を告げる蛾とも呼ばれます。英語では、オウル・モスと言います。

“White flowers growing through gaps in the asphalt”

In May, I visited Handa’s last of the spring Dashi festivals, Shiohi-Matsuri in Kamezaki. I parked my car in a temporary car park and walked along the canal, where I found flowers blooming in the gaps in the asphalt. Yellow flowers and white flowers. These flowers are often disliked because they are infested. On this day, they were blooming brightly to the sound of festival music coming from afar. [MAY 2025]

Nothoscordum gracile

亀崎で行われる春の山車祭り「潮干祭り」を訪ねたとき、道端にハタケニラの花がたくさん咲いていました。ヒガンバナ科で、地下に鱗茎をつくって繁殖します。名前にニラとありますが、野菜のニラとはまったく異なる種です。

“Sea hare”

The beach was low tide and reefs were appearing. There were no crabs or small fish yet, probably because it was early in the season. There was a sea hare under the surface of the churning water. When it senses danger, it spouts a lot of purple liquid to blind its enemies. At this time, it appeared as laid back as a cow resting on a pasture. [April 2025]

Aplysia kurodai

潮が引いてあらわれた岩礁にいた、アメフラシ。刺激すると、目をくらますために紫色の液体を出します。たまごは、黄色く細い麺状の卵塊で、夏場に岩礁を歩いていると見かけます。

“White dead-nettle”

When I’ve visited to the temple located in the forests of Minami-chita, there were flowers of the white dead-nettles in the bushes under the cliff. In Japanese, they are called “Odoriko-so”. Odoriko means dancers. [April 2025]

Lamium album var. barbatum

雑木林に自生するオドリコソウ。街中でもよく見かける春の野草、ヒメオドリコソウよりも明らかに植物自体も花も大きいです。

“Spring snow”

In March there is snow in the fields and on the street. Thunberg’s meadowsweet has many small and white flowers on its branches. They are beautiful, like snow falling out of season. Most of ones we see are planted, but the native ones grow along the banks of mountain streams. [March 2025]

Spiraea thunbergii

街路や公園にも植えられており、春になると白い花が咲くユキヤナギ。雑木林と隣接する公園などでよく見かけます。ホシミスジの食草の一つです。

“Camellia’s path”

The camellia flowers were still in bloom on the spring wooded path. Camellias bloom in winter. They paint the winter forests a bright red. Camellia flowers scattered along the forest paths tell us that winter is over and spring has arrived. [March 2025]

Camellia japonica

知多半島の雑木林を歩いていると、必ずと言ってよいほど、ヤブツバキと出会います。冬に赤い花を咲かせて、春が近づくと、花ごとぼとっと落ちます。

“Aloe’s flowers”

Aloe was introduced from abroad during the Edo period. It was valued as a folk medicine and is often seen planted along the coast. In winter, when flowers are scarce, aloe flowers add bright colours to the landscape. [JANUARY 2025]

Aloe arborescens

「医者いらず」とも呼ばれ、民間薬として重宝されたアロエ。冬に独特なオレンジ色の花を咲かせます。南アフリカ原産というルーツに納得する色合いです。