Yakushi-ike park in Machida, Metropolitan Tokyo on February 28, 2010 

Plum blossoms, either in vivid white or red, are welcome signs of early spring releasing a delightful scent. Artists and poets love to depict the blossoms. Here is a Haiku (a poem) by Basho Matsuo (1644-1694), a Haiku master in the Edo period: “Going along a mountainous path, the sun rose above the air suffused with the scent of plum blossoms.” Did you know that Japanese plums are not suitable for eating but are commonly consumed as pickles, a fruit liqueur or jam?  Some photos of plum blossoms from my album follow.

  The Odawara countryside, Kanagawa Prefecture on February 7, 2009.

 The Jike countryside, northern Yokohama on February 8, 2009.

 Jyo-keiji, a Buddhist temple, in the northern part of Kawasaki on February 8, 2009.  

East garden of the Imperial Palace on March 18, 2012

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