日本の秋二、にほんのあき、FALL IN JAPAN (2)

紅葉／もみじ

In Japanese, maples equal foliage.  When I type MO-MI-JI for maple, the kanji for foliage shows up.  The first two kanji reads both as MOMIJI and KOUYOU, the latter means foliage.  ヘんですね。People go hunting MOMIJI or maple late October through mid November.  

もみじがりmeans literally, hunting maple, colloquially, the word MOMIJI-GARI is used for an outing to view foliage.  きれいですねぇ。

Wait a minute!  I am from New England, we have really outrageous KOUYOU or foliage.  ニューイングランドの紅葉／こうようは、すごーーいですよ。

However, its subtlety and mysterious atmosphere in the Japanese mountains during this time of the year is superb.

私は、むすこのブラッドといっしょに、もみじがりに行きました。少し、雨／あめがふっていましたから寒／さむかったです。

紅葉は、きれいでしたが、かぜをひいてしまいました。グシュン！

日本の秋一、にほんのあき、FALL IN JAPAN（１）

What are these flowers??  菊、きくor

Chrysanthemum, mum in English.

I missed these elaborately cultivated flowers that bloom for showcase in shrines and temples in Japan for many years.  Finally I was able to see them in a nearby shrine where I biked with my girl friend from high school.  

If you put your face on the flower, you feel the cold petals on you cheek and remind the cold weather is approaching.  "Do Not Touch the Flowers." the sign says.  Oh, ごめんなさい。日本語がよめません？？？？

Learn colors!!

色／いろ

黄色／きいろ、白／しろ、紫／むらさき、うすむらさき、緑／みどり、パステル

菊人形／きくにんぎょう

If you are an artistic florist, you would be more excited to make a human shape out of flowers, wouldn't you?  There used to be an exhbition called, KIKUNINNGYOU, Kiku for mum, Ningyou for dolls, which are TV drama characters made of flowers.  I would be exhilarated to be surrounded by KIKU if I was a doll?!