KYOTO—An ume blossom that sprouted at the Kitano Tenmangu shrine here in early March is a world first that bloomed on a cloned Japanese apricot tree using tissue culture technology. The dark ...

It's been used against fever, nausea, diarrhea, colds, and more — and then broadened to include the bourgeoise-approved aesthetic of ume blossoms. They are just as pretty as the iconic cherry ...

Due to warm winter last year, the peak bloom period of ume blossoms came in early February, about half a month earlier than usual. But the temperature dropped immediately after the period began ...

She bears him a daughter, Ume. 14 years pass and Ume blossoms into a radiant lady who befriends the sickly Mikio, the village leader’s son and Mosaku’s distant relative. Mikio soon dies in the ...