Appreciation of flowers is an old Japanese tradition, resplendent with deep meanings. Spring's profusion of cherry blossoms, for example, reveal life's beautiful but fleeting nature. Then there's the plum tree. These fragrant, persevering petals of pink, red and white make their annual appearance before winter's last snows have melted.

This time each year, the Japanese leave their comfortable foot warmers in search of ume, the beautiful plum blossoms that re-assure them spring is close at hand. Plum festivals blossom everywhere and the Japanese come to gaze affectionately upon the slim-trunked plum trees, whose tightly gnarled branches are evidence of careful pruning.

And they come to eat umeboshi, plums picked and salted last June before they ripened. In fact, these festivals are veritable plum frenzies, with a wide array of items, including tea, crackers, jams, wine, noodles and even toilet paper made from these tart red fruits.

Two popular Tokyo, plum-viewing places are the small but exquisite Yushima Shrine and Shinjuku Gyoen, a former imperial garden. Atami Baien, a hot springs resort an hour's bullet train ride from Tokyo, has hundreds of plum trees in various varieties.

Or visit the village of Mito in Ibaraki prefecture, where a 19th-century feudal lord dedicated his villa to the plum tree. He named his estate, Kairakuen, which means to enjoy the garden together with the people. With 3000 lovingly tended trees, it is a veritable plum blossom paradise, in addition to being one of Japan's finest public gardens.

FMI For information on Plum Festivals, http://gojapan.about.com

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