japanese lotus

The Sacred Lotus

"Of all the plants in the world, the lotus flower is the most unique.”  - Cao Zhi (192-232). In Japan the beginning of July falls in the middle of the rainy season and rivers, lakes and ponds all swell from the abundant rains. It is the time of the year when I like to visit a nearby park to see the lotus flowers blooming in its lake...
tanabata japanese festival

Tanabata Festival

One of my favorite festivals is Tanabata, also known as the star festival that is celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month, just a couple of days from today. According to a Chinese legend, this is the only day that the two stars Altair and Vega, which are usually separated from each other by the milky way, are able to meet...