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October 1, 2013 - Fall Flowers: Higanbana
Higanbana, called "red spider lily" in English (official name Lycoris radiata) is an ubiquitous fall flower blooming in late summer and early autumn usually after a heavy rain. In the Kanto region of Japan (including Tokyo), this usually is around mid to late September. These bright red flowers are one of the signals of fall's approach, growing in clumps and rows all around Japan and lending beautiful contrast to the yellowing rice fields they are often found around.
Although October is getting a little bit late for them, you can still find these vibrant flowers in many places around Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba (to name a few), and there are even a few festivals dedicated to them that you can check out. You may even spot some in white or yellow if you're lucky!
These photos were taken along a rural road right next to the Kanna River in Kamikawa, Saitama. I think they were probably planted at one time due to the neat rows. If you are interested, the park right next to Hamamatsucho station on the Yamanote line has many of these flowers, as does Hibiya Park. A little further out, one of the most famous spots is Hinata Higanbana no Sato in Kanagawa. Or just walk around for awhile... they are very common throughout Japan!
