When I find a fragile and beautiful flower in full bloom, I simultaneously sense that it must soon fade and disappear without any trace. I know that this world of all living things must be made to be impermanent according to the basic principles of the universe.
My fruitless attempt to photograph the adorable portrait of such an ephemeral flower for remembering it may be just an impossible resistance to "Mujo" or the absolute impermanence of this world.
The magnificent flowers of Botan, which have been long admired as the majestic queen of flowers in China and Japan, bloom from April to May as if to let us notice the approaching of the bright summer in the various temple gardens of Kamakura.
Botan trees are said to have been introduced to Japan from China around the 8th century as a medicinal plant. Later, it has been cultivated for the purpose of appreciation in Japan, and during the Edo period (1603-1868), when horticulture became a very popular pastime for citizens, many horticultural varieties, which had diverse magnificent shapes and colors, were produced.