Glen Kaufman
2019: Camellia japonica
April 2019
Kyoto
Politics: Electioneering in Japan is under tight government control. Local election activity is limited to a 10-day period in early April. Display boards are mounted in each sub-ward of the city and each candidate has a space for a poster with photo, name and party. Then the fun begins. Picture a small box-like van with a superstructure mounted on the roof that proclaims the candidate’s name and holds loud speakers. These vans then drive through the neighborhoods with 2 important messages blasting forth: The name of the candidate and Thank You repeating over and over. Inside the vans are (mostly) the campaign staff waving white-gloved greetings to people on the street. In addition, candidates will stop at important intersections and give their set stump speech. More funding allows some of them to have supporters on all 4 corners with large placards with the candidate’s name and also passing out tissue packs with the name. There are multiple parties in Japan so there are a range of candidates for most offices, which make for more excitement. However it is all over quickly and we can have peace and quiet on the streets.
Imperial family: The current Emperor, Akihito 85, is abdicating, which has not occurred in over 200 years. He felt that his advanced age and health would prevent him from fulfilling his Imperial duties. So this was a big deal and approval by the government took some time and thought. His son, Naruhito 59, will assume the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1 with extensive pomp and ceremony.
Imperial Era: Emperor Akihito has served the nation for 30 years under the Era name Heisei (translates as “achieving peace”). The concept of Era names and origin of the characters has Chinese origin. These Era names (gengou) are a much bigger deal here than I realized. There is an Era calendar (i.e. Heisei 31) in use as well as the Gregorian (2019). Official documents, calendars and a host of other processes use the Era calendar. There was a good deal of news coverage of current events (sumo tournaments, graduations, new jobs, etc.) that would be marked as meaning the last of these in the Heisei Era.
New Era: It is unusual here to name a new Era prior to the passing of a current Emperor. Numerous committees have been involved in the choosing of a new Era name over the past year or so. Previously, Era names were derived from ancient Chinese literature. Members of various committees charged with providing choices were kept secret and there were no leaks prior to the announcement on April 1. Reiwa (“good fortune and peace”) is the new Era name with its source in the 1st anthology of Japanese poetry from 9th Century with the chosen kanji from a poem that praises the new spring as embodied by the blooming of ume Japanese plum after enduring a cold winter. Prime Minister Shinso Abe said that the government chose this name, as it signifies “a culture being born and nurtured by people coming together beautifully”. Since kanji can have several meanings (and pronunciations) there was much discussion in the press about other connotations, other meanings.
Ohanami: Cherry blossom viewing. This is a huge event in Japan with extensive daily news coverage from mid-March into April. The buds on the trees are watched carefully and various predictions on the moment of blooming are offered for the various regions of the country. A tree is considered “in bloom” when 5 flowers can be verified. Then reports come in from various locations as soon as that standard has been met. Here in Kyoto we have our own “regions”. Trees in full bloom were seen in city center days before we had anything similar here in the northern part of the city. And the weather has been cold so that has a delaying impact in all locations. In Kyoto there are a number of locations that are famed for the display. Trees have lined the several rivers in the city for many, many years and these spots are popular for gatherings, parties and sake induced high jinx under the spreading bloom-loaded branches. There is a small shallow “canal” (sosui) just north of my rental house that is lined with trees for several kilometers and is a delightful path to stroll, but lacking open spaces for merriment. I must add a note on my own special “blooming season”, in this case it’s camellia (tsubaki). I am fortunate to have a house that has 3 gardens: front, middle and back. The middle space is quite small (12’ x 6’) with tall camellia and nandina bushes. For the first time in the 10 years I have been in this house the camellia was loaded with pink blossoms. Most of the flowers were high on the bush preventing me from seeing them from inside the house. I did, however, manage to harvest an occasional bloom to bring inside.