Pretty flowers blooming in the cold wind. With a faint sweet fragrance, they are the first to announce the arrival of spring. The vivid colors of red, pink, and white in the quiet winter landscape remind us of the breath of life. Japan's oldest anthology of poetry, Manyoshu (The Anthology of Myriad Leaves), contains many poems on the theme of ume (Japanese apricot), which has fascinated people since ancient times. A lucky charm associated with ume is "Daifuku tea," a tea made with pickled plums and kelp, which is drunk on New Year's Day. The origin of this tea dates back to the middle of the Heian period (794-1185) when Emperor Murakami drank it when he was ill and recovered, and people began drinking it to pray for good health throughout the year.