In the peaceful garden in front of the small temple gate, under the hazy sky of mid-spring, I found a multi-petaled flower of Otome-tsubaki (maiden camellia) blooming in a silent manner as if to be hiding shyly in its branches and leaves.
The brightly-colored flower of Tsubaki has been admired by Japanese people since ancient times, because it blooms flamingly while enduring cold temperature and present us a blazing color in a pale winter garden.
It is also highly praised in the tradition of tea ceremony as the queen of winter flowers. It is the precious brilliant flower which is most frequently arranged in a dim tea room during the desolate season of winter.
