Fall flowers: higanbana

Higanbana are synonymous with Autumn in Japan. Higanbana have many names in both the Japanese and English languages. One of the names in English is "Equinox flowers", because the flowers usually bloom around the equinox. And in this part of Saitama, many of the higanbana were in full bloom today on the autumnal equinox (September 22nd in 2024).  The autumn equinox often falls on September 23rd and it maybe why the flower of September 23rd annually is the higanbana. It is also the flower of September 20th and November 15th.

Although some people call them equinox flowers, they are most frequently called "red spider lilies" or "cluster amaryllis" English. However, within Japan, according to Google trends, Higanbana is the most popular name for them, even in English, followed by Lycoris (/ Lycoris radiata), which is actually the scientific name.

Most of the higanbana are blooming the last day or two, but there are also some places where they bloom a little earlier. Over the years I've become accustomed to the order in which they bloom. So earlier in the week I went to a park in Kawagoe that is always one of the first places the higanbana bloom in central / western Saitama. And sure enough, although there were only stems elsewhere, the higanbana were in bloom here:

Higanbana are poisonous to rodents and wild animals. And that is why you will often see them around rice fields, graveyards and near rivers. They were planted there to keep mice / rats away. Also, because they are often around graveyards they came to mean / represent "sad memories".

The higanbana should be in bloom for another week to ten days in the Kanto region. The most famous place to see them is Kinchakuda park in Hidaka City, where they famously cut down the flowers during the pandemic to prevent people coming to visit. 

There are early blooming higanbana called kohiganbana, which are almost identical, but they have shorter browner stalks. You can see them here. They bloom earlier in September, even at the end of August sometimes. 

As it is such a popular flower to appreciate in September, there are many posts about Higanbana on city-cost, many with interesting tidbits about the flower.