Kairakuen at Mito in Ibaraki

Kairakuen in Mito, Ibaraki is one of the three most beautiful Japanese Gardens in Japan. Every year, public can enjoy plum blossoms viewing during the Mito no Ume Matsuri from mid February to end of March. The park has 100 different types of plum blossoms. Kairakuen was opened by Tokugawa Nariaki to the feudal lords and warriors, as well as the commoners in 1842.

Overlooking the Kairakuen-koen.

Old plum blossom trunks such as this (80 years) twist as the tree age.

The Japanese plum blossoms comes in all shapes and sizes including this, which shapes like a dragon.

A unique plum blossom with green hue.

Weeping plum blossoms.

Pretty shade of pink.

Three of the 10 Mito no Ume Musume (Mito's Daughters of Plum Blossoms)

Kinkan/Kumquat

I discovered kinkan/kumquat recently. It is a kind of citrus fruit that has a sweet skin and a sour (sometimes sweet) flesh. The fruit is oval in shape and has a nice bright orange colour. It is a winter/spring fruit. 

To eat the fruit, first wash the skin. Then cut it into half and remove the seeds. The seeds are slightly bitter in taste.