TsukuBlog
A Local Perspective on Life in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Setsubun-so (節分草)- eranthis pinnatifida- blooms, in fact, a few weeks after Setsubun ( the Bean Throwing Festival for which it is named)!
25 February, 2021
Setsubun-so in Tsukuba
By Avi Landau
In Japan very few flower species bloom in January, February or early March. That is why nature lovers, or those who like to take note of the daily changes which occur in the natural world around them throughout the year, eagerly anticipate the appearance of EACH AND EVERY ONE of these cold weather bloomers- and savor them while they last.
Of these Japanese harbinger- of- spring flowers, the one with the easiest to remember name (for those familiar with Japanese culture) is SETSUBUN-SO (節分草)- named after the popular BEAN THROWING festival- which is held on February second ( and was traditionally held at the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox).