Japanese witch hazel, a golden ribbon coloring the early spring

 The strange, delicate flower shape that suddenly appears on the bare branches in an early spring garden, when the greenery is still sparse, is a work of art created by nature.  In the cold air, when other trees have yet to awaken from hibernation, the sight of the Japanese witch hazel, the first to unfurl its ribbon-like petals, truly embodies the strength of life.

This weird flower is called "Man-saku" in Japanese, a native species of Japan and its English name is "Japanese witch hazel". Its petals are a translucent yellow with a delicate, ribbon-like shape.  It grows in mountainous areas throughout Japan. It is also planted in gardens as a flowering tree.

I took the following photos at the mountainous slope behind the old temple in Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan on March 11th, 2026.

Comparison with Japan's 500-yen coin (diameter 26.5mm).

The flower has four sepals (red), four petals like a yellow ribbon, four stamens, and the pistil has two stigmas.

The view of this flowering shrub. It looks outstanding and rather odd because the bare tree seems to be suddenly decorated by numerous vivid ribbons.