Between the black asphalt of Kasuga-dori and the wide brick pedestrian walkway, lies a verge planted with large flowering shrubs—Japanese camellias—that begin to bloom around this time of year. The vivid pink blossoms against dark green foliage herald the coming holidays more insistently than any Xmas illumination.

In the flower shops, cyclamens echo the camillias’ palette while the floral newcomers, poinsettias, clash with their deep red leaves.