The Plum. 13 



The most famous places for plum-trees are Kameido, 

 near Tokyo ; Sugita, near Yokohama ; and Tsukigase, about 

 twenty-five miles from Nara. The Ume-Yashiki, or Plum 

 Mansion, at Kameido, is famous for its Gwaryobai, literally 

 "Recumbent Dragon Plums," over five hundred in all and 

 very old; the large original tree is said to have resembled 

 a dragon lying upon the ground. Tsukigase is renowned 

 for the plum-trees which line the bank of the Kidzu River 

 for more than two miles. It is said that "no other place in 

 Japan can boast of such a show of the pink and white flow- 

 ers of this fragrant tree." The Tokiwa Park of Mito is fa- 

 mous for its large grove of plum-trees, originally one thou- 

 sand in number, planted in 1837 by the old Prince Rekko. 



There are said to be sixty different species of plum-trees 

 in Japan. To go and see that blossom is a most delightful 

 pastime and holiday. "Often one sees visionary old men 

 sitting lost in reverie, and murmuring to themselves of 

 ume-no-hana, the plum-blossom. They sip tea, they rap 

 out the ashes from tiny pipes, and slipping a writing-case 

 from the girdle, unroll a scroll of paper, and indite an ode 

 or sonnet. Then with radiant face and cheerful muttering, 

 the ancient poet will slip his toes into his clogs, and tie the 

 little slip to the branches of the most charming tree." 2 Ac- 

 cording to a Japanese poem, "the sight of the plum-blossom 

 causes the ink to flow in the writing-room." 



So prevalent is flower-viewing in Japan, that Professor 

 Chamberlain tells of a party of "380 blind shampooers who 

 went out to see the plum-blossoms at Sugita," and were 

 made safe by a long rope which held them together ! 



The following is a free translation 3 of another plum- 

 poem : 



"In spring-time, on a cloudless night, 

 When moonbeams throw their silver pall 



* Miss Scidmore's Jinrikisha Days in Japan. 



* Conder's Flowers of Japan. 



