June 7, 2010

Yama-hotarubukuro (Campanula punctata) flowers in Jochi-ji temple

The Japanese name of "Yama-hotarubukuro" means "a mountain firefly-pouch."

It is said that, in the old days, a glowing firefly was caught and put into this pouch-like flower and children played with this flower as a toy paper lantern in the evening.

Every evening at this time of year, I can see many fireflies floating around winking their faint white light as a sign of deepening summer in the narrow streams of Kita-kamakura.

No comments: