Kinmokusei

When the kinmokusei (aka osmanthus) come out, it is a sure sign that autumn has arrived in Japan. These tiny golden flowers that grow on trees and bushes make their annual appearance once the humidity and hot weather go. Visually unimpressive, the benign little blossoms are easy to miss. For years I passed kinmokusei trees in my neighborhood without ever seeing them. But their smell is another matter. Once I asked one of my Japanese teachers the name of this mysterious plant and she responded by asking: "Do you mean the flowers that smell like toilet bowl cleaner?" She hit the nail the on the head! That was the smell! I learned subsequently that kinmokusei used to be placed in bathrooms to mask the odors. Naruhodo.