This is the season of the lotus flower (ハスの花). They occur naturally but are also cultivated for their roots, called renkon, which are rendered into karashi renkon when imbued with a spicy mustard - an acquired taste but exquisite. In Buddhism, they symbolize the rise of the human spirit from the muck of mortality to what lies beyond. Kumamoto is a major producer of renkon, probably some near you (they grow in murky water, so look for that or ask your friends). - William