The flowers of ancient lotus (Linum usitatissimum (Flax / linseed)) bloom at Ancient Lotus Village in Gyoda City, Saitama Prefecture, adjacent to Tokyo, on June 28, 2024. Some lotus seeds thought to be more than 1,400-3,000 years old that were found at a construction site for a public facility about 40 years ago have bloomed naturally. Gyoda lotus has been designated as a natural monument of the city. The flowers, which are about 30 centimeters in diameter, open early in the morning and close in the afternoon, so the best time to view them is from 7.a.m. to 9 a.m.( The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images )