Like a beautiful woman
Japanese sweet flag “shobu” blooms in early summer. Its leaves are fragrant and it is believed to get rid of evil.
Shobu
Shobu and Sengu-kan : 菖蒲と式年遷宮記念 せんぐう館: Ise, Mie Prefecture
The manner in which the beautifully-shaped shobu and ayame, an iris which is similar to shobu in shape, delicate flower petals also has been used as a metaphor to describe beautiful women.
Shobu
Ayame: Iris
菖蒲は初夏に花を咲かせます。葉から芳香がただよい、邪気を払うとされています。
菖蒲や似た形のアヤメは姿美しく、繊細な花弁が咲く様は美しい女性を形容する比喩としても用いられています。
「いずれ菖蒲か杜若（かきつばた）」がそれですね。
