The first flowers of spring in Aomori, Japan, seem to be daffodils. A few weeks before the cherry blossoms, they pop up in many unexpected places. I see them on the roadsides, around bare rice fields, and in between houses. The impressive mass of flowers above were in a hillside graveyard behind a temple.

I happened upon this temple while on a morning walk, and I only read about the place afterwards. It is called 寶福寺, houfukuji, and it registered as a prefectural treasure in Aomori. It is said to have been around since the year 1292, though it has been reestablished and rebuilt a few times over the years (source: Gonohe Town Page). It is difficult for me to grasp how many years have passed since this temple was established and how much has changed around it. I also wonder what has not changed since then.

How long have the daffodils grown here and how long will they continue spreading and blooming each spring? I wonder.