Let's wake up early and meet the morning flower

I know most of my readers knows me by now that I am in love with flowers. I remembered when I was young, I couldn't resist not picking flower whenever I see one. I would one flower to put behind one of my ears and another one for the other ear. When the flowers wilted, I will pick another one. Yes, that action, sometimes got me into trouble. Well, that was all good memories for me ^^ Not so much to those I caused the distress to...  m(_ _)m

So, talking about flowers, I am off to another special exhibition of morning glory plants in the Hibiya Park organized by the Tokyo Morning Glory Research Association. The association has 40 years history in researching, propagating and creating new morning glory hybrids and at the same time, preserving the mutated seed of morning glories. This is their 64th exhibition - yea!

When you reach Hibiya Park, you will see this poster (I forgot about taking a photo of this year's poster so I used my last year's photo).

Similar exhibition can also be seen at the Yasukuni Jinja but this one is better! I will tell you why, but first, a bit on the history of the cultivation of morning glory plants in Japan (I found new information and wanted to share it although it may be boring stuff to you - sumimasen).

The cultivation started in the late Edo period when these cultivators experimented on the natural mutation of the morning glory seed and found new ways to create new types of leaves and flowers in the morning glory plants. And after that, the morning glory plant experienced a boost in its popularity well into the Meiji-Taisho period until after that, the morning glory plant of natural mutation gave way to the cultivated hybrids of large-blossomed morning glory plant. Due to the loss of interest, much knowledge of these plants been lost. 

However, due to the efforts of a small group of enthusiastic cultivators, some of the earlier naturally mutated plants managed to survive. From them, we now know how the cultivators back in those days grew the naturally mutated hybrids of the morning glory plant. Now, these techniques and the cultivation using a selected mutation of morning glory are maintained with an adaptation of a more advanced method of cultivation and the knowledge of our present-day genetics. 

Thanks to the efforts of these small growers, today, we can see these naturally mutated hybrids and the large-blossomed morning glories here in this annual exhibition at the Hibiya Park. This is why this exhibition is better than the one in Yasukuni Shrine. 

Poor morning glory out in the sun

Among the differences you will notice between the two kinds of Japanese morning glories, is the size and colour in the blooms. The latter cultivation of the Japanese morning glory plants has resulted in bigger blooms with a variety of colours. The blooms of a Japanese morning glory span between 15sm wide, but some can have larger blooms than others and some have frilly blooms. 

The blooms have also cool physic-referenced names such as "speckled" (blooms with dots on them), "rayed" (blooms with a line of white trim on the edges of a bloom) and "blizzard" (blooms with two swirling colours). The colour of the morning glories ranges from the muddy rose colour to the dark blue colour. 

Where else, the blooms of the naturally mutated hybrids are usually small, and some plants don't even look like anything close to a morning glory plant. Some plants are so unique that you swear you have never seen a morning glory before until these.

Yes, this is a morning glory

This one too

I think this one is called falling star

These all looked like ikebana to me

After the blooms, the next difference you may notice is their distinctive foliage. The cultivation of the leaves of the Japanese morning glory plants has resulted in various leaf forms. One of the more popular leaf forms in both kinds is called the "tonbo-ba" (トンボ葉) and it is supposedly resembled a dragonfly spreading its wings (Sorry, I didn't get any photos for the "tonbo-ba"). A dragonfly is called "tonbo" in Japanese. 

There are also other leaf forms in the naturally mutated kind too, such as the Maple leaf, the willow leaf (Yanagi-ba), the Bamboo leaf and these are just some leaf forms that I learned from the cultivators. The leaves also come in coloured variegated types too, usually a green variegated leaf (Ao-Fuiri-ba) or a yellow variegated leaf (Ki-Fuiri-ba).

The green variegated leaves kind

The yellow variegated leaves morning glory

Well, you can see both kinds of the morning glories at this exhibition. It will be on display in the area near the tennis court.

This exhibition is not only to display new hybrid of morning glories, it is also a competition for its association members to show off their prize-winning plant. You can meet with the morning glory creator, talk to them, learn about the morning glory plant and even buy the plant from them.

The exhibition starts from 8am till 11am from now until 3rd Aug 2014.

Access: Hibiya Station accessible by the Metro Chiyoda line, Metro Hibiya line or Toei Mita lines. The nearest exits are Exit A10 or Exit A14.

I think this exhibition is a good opportunity for me to wake up early. How about you?

Giant glories at the Hono Asagao-ten, Yasukuni Shrine

This is a post that I meant to post long time ago. Sorry that it didn't match the timing of the post. The photos are a mix of old and recently taken. 

I love waking up early to go for my walks, especially in the summer. So one fine (hot!) day, I woke and went to the Yasukuni Jinja for a potted morning glories exhibition or as they called it, Asagao-ten (朝顔展). As the morning glories wilted under the hot sun, the exhibition usually starts early at 6am which is great for me as I can go and then come back in time for my work. 

The morning glory plant is a popular household plant since the olden times in Japan for two reasons. The plant provides shade that cools the hot summer air and the flower provides beautiful blooms that pleases the eye. If the cherry blossom symbolizes spring, then "asagao" or the morning glory is the flower that symbolizes summer.  

And every summer in Japan, we are treated to several morning glory fairs around Tokyo. While these fairs are intended as a place for you to buy the plants, the exhibitions are to make the cultivation of the morning glory plant and its knowledge more widely known among the general public

This is my first time visiting a potted plant exhibition in Japan and it is a 'WOW' exhibition for me. I wasn't prepared for the surprise in discovering so many varieties of bloom size, shape and colour for such a simple plant. I have learned that the cultivation of the Japanese morning glory plant is a serious business, but it is also considered a unique one in the history of horticulture. 

Introduced from China for more than a thousand years ago, the flower, asagao, which can be literally translated as the 'morning face' in the Japanese language, has enjoyed a long cherished presence in Japan ever since its introduction. The morning glory plant was used as a medicinal plant during the Nara period. Later on, during the Edo period, it has been used as an ornamental plant.

The cultivation of the morning glory started in the late Edo period. Since then, the morning glory plant has experienced a number of periodical booms, especially during the Bunka and Bunsei eras (1804-1830), the Kaei and Ansei eras (1848-1860) and well into the Meiji and Taisho eras (1868-1926). After the Meiji-Taisho period, the popularity of the mutation techniques dwindles and gave way to the large-blossomed morning glories which you can view them at this exhibition.

This is the 39th time the Yasukuni Shrine has held their giant morning glory exhibition, Hono Asagao-ten, and exhibited these uniquely cultivated large-blossomed morning glory plants. You can see the morning glories in their full bloom under the shade exhibition stand. 

Apart from learning about the morning glory plant, there is a class where you can also try your hands in making your own pressed morning glory print. Actually, it is a class meant for children, but if they are not too busy, you can try it. I didn't after learning that I have to wait for an hour or two to dry the pressed morning glory print. Need to get back to work before that.

The potted morning glories exhibition at Yasukuni Shrine will still on display from now until Aug 7th 2012. 

Access: Kudanshita Station accessible by the Tozai, Hanzomon or Toei Shinjuku Subway Line.

*Update: The morning glory exhibition is on display from now until Aug 3rd 2014.