You may occasionally see a metallic ornament called a ’kurin’ jutting up towards the sky out of the roofs of certain pagodas or other structure.
Because their flowers resemble this structure, ’kurinsou’ is the original Japanese name for the Japanese primrose plant. They originally did not grow wild in Kyushu, but according to legend, a certain mountain priest from Mt. Hiko brought them in from throughout Japan while on a quest for knowledge.

Time period: Early May – Mid-May