Morning Glory (asagao - アサガオ)

Morning glories are called 'asagao' in Japanese which means 'morning face'. It's a typical summer flower in Japan.

In the Edo (1603 - 1868) Period, people got interested in breeding morning glories. They improved the flower color and size and the propagation methods to grow them in pots.

Morning glories are often used as a motif for clothes, paintings and other decorative items.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fe20070718li.html

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/54.69.1,2