It's the Lunar New Year and the robai are in bloom.
Because of the time I spent in Vietnam (a couple of decades back now), this is a blossom I can only associate with the Tet celebrations – especially in Hue, where the city was full of stalls selling these beautiful fragrant hoa mai blossoms.
In English they're called wintersweet or Japanese allspice. In Japan, the name is robai – literally "wax" ume. And the flowers do have definite resemblance to ume, especially when their buds are just about to burst open. Unlike ume, though, they are significantly toxic.
Needless to say, I can never think of Vietnam without immediately craving the complex flavors and fragrances that make the cuisine so special.
Tokyo is not overly endowed with good Vietnamese food. Which makes it all the more worth while riding the Keihin-Tohoku Line down to Kamata, on the southernmost fringe of of the city. Destination: My-Le.
It was summer when I wrote it up for my Japan Times column. It's just as good at this time of year – though the walk to and from the station is a lot chillier.
Here's a map link…
And for all those now celebrating the start of the holidays in the Middle Kingdom: Xin Nian Kuai Le 新年快乐, Gong Hei Fat Choy 恭喜发财 or Xing Ni Ju Yi 新年如意 !
Recent Comments