Japanese Wisteria

There are at least two kinds of Japanese Wisteria. This is probably
'Yama-Fuji' not a normal 'Fuji', because I found this on the cliff
near a road. The botanical name is Wisteria Brachybotrys.







The flower seems to be near the over? (^_^;;;

Golden Bells

I'm not so sure but this is 'Shina-Rengyou' or Golden Bells. The
botanical name is Forsythia Viridissima.







I am sorry but this is very old pictures (in April this year)...

Miquel's mazus

This is 'Murasaki-Sagi-Goke' or Miquel's mazus. The botanical name is
Mazus miquelii. The flowers are very impressive. I found this on the
side of a small path in rice field.







'Tokiwa-Haze' is very similar to this. The difference is that
Tokiwa-Haze is a little smaller than Murasaki-Sagi-Goke. Also
Tokiwa-Haze grows upward, while Murasaki-Sagi-Goke stretches on the
ground.

Kometsubu-Tsumekusa

This is 'Kometsubu-Tsumekusa'. The botanical name is Trifolium
Dubium. I don't know the English name.







I found this since the middle of April, but now is the prime?

Japanese Azalea(?)

There are many kinds of azalea. This is one of them, and it is called
"Renge Tsutsuji" in Japanese. The botanical name is Rhododendron
Japonicum. I don't know the name in English, but I guess Japanese
Azalea or something.







This is planted near the top of a hill, so I was a little late to
notice, and the flower had almost finished.

By the way I hear that azaleas contain poison. We can see here and
there, so let's take care that children do not eat them!!!

Marguerite

This is Marguerite. We call them Marguerite in Japanse, too. The
botanical name is Chrysanthemum Frutesceus.







I used to see them here and there when I was a child, but I did not
know the name... (^_^;;;

Philadelphia Daisy (Fleabane)

This is 'Haru-jion' or Philadelphia Daisy (Fleabane). We can see here
and there.







The Japanese name 'Haru-jion' means spring (haru) violet (jion <= shion).

'Hime-jyoon' or Eastern Daisy Fleabane is similar to this, but it is
different plant!

Japanese Snowball

The one uploaded on last Saturday night is 'Kodemari'. And this is
'Oodemari' or 'Temari-bana'. English name is Japanese snowball. The
botanical name is Viburnum Plicatum f. Plicatum. 'Oodemari' means
large hand-balls, and 'Temari-bana' means flower of hand-balls.







The height is about one meter. 'Kodemari' is about 50cm(?), so
'Oodemari' is larger than 'Kodemari' as the name means.

Renewal of my Driving Licence

In Japan we have to update the driving license every 5 or 4 or 3 years
depending on how well the holder's driving attitude is. In Hyogo
Prefecture the renewal process cannot be achieved at nearby police
stations on Sunday and we have to go to driving license centers. The
largest one in Hyogo is located at Akashi, and I went there today.

Hyogo is a preceding prefecture where driving licenses of IC card type
are issued. Thus we have to pay 3,250 yen even for excellent drivers
(the license is valid for 5 years), which value is 450 yen more
expensive than the old type one.

At a glance there seems to be almost no change.
One change is that the legal address on family registry / nationality
is blank. I got an additional paper which says the registered address
/ nationality when I got the new license card. We have to check it is
correct.
And I have heard that the thickness is slightly large, though it is
almost impossible to distinguish unless you compare them side by
side.
And also we have to register a password (8 digits). I got a paper in
which the password is written, and I have to reserve it apart from the
license card... The security is enough???

From June 2 this year (yesterday!), a new car-rank has been
introduced... 'Tyu-gata' or middle class. I had 'Futsuu' or normal
class license, but it belongs to 'Tyu-gata' in the new category with
some restrictions. Please see the following site for the
details. (Sorry but Japanese!)
http://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.jp/menkyo/chugata/chugata.htm
Anyway the types of cars I can drive do not change.


The following pictures are taken in Akashi Park, where I visited on my
way home.
http://www.hyogo-park.or.jp/akashi/
(Sorry this is also only Japanese...)


* Gou-no-Ike *


* Library *
The left building is Hyogo Library, and the right one is Akashi
Library.


* Akashi Castle, Tatsumi Watchtower *
We can see Akashi Channel Bridge over there.

Kodemari

This is 'Kodemari' or 'Suzukage' in Japanese. 'Kodemari' means small
hand-ball and 'Suzukage' means shadow of bells. I don't know the name
in English. The botanical name is Spiraea cantoniensis. We can find
this here and there.

lamb's lettuce

This is 'Nodisya' or lamb's lettuce. The Japanese name 'Nodisya'
means lettuce ('disya') found in field ('No'). This is the same plant
as Rapunzel written in "Grimm's Fairy Tale". The botanical name is
Valerianella locusta.









Nodisya @ Okayama Science University

I found this by the roadside of a rice field. You can compare the
size with that of clover... very small!