Spring flowering shrub, Kyoto japan, what is this?
thank you..

Best guess is some sort of Lilac. Probably not a good guess but maybe the conversation will be started....

The each tiny flower looks like individual flower of lilac. Are the flowers in cone shaped clusters? The leaves look exactly like azalea, the flowers maybe an azalea, but I have not seen a trumpet shaped flower on an azalea before. Interesting.

I bought it as a gift for my friend before leaving japan last year, she planted it and lost the plant, she asked me the name, I remember taking label picture last year, but again lost that picture...
The flower is around half cm in diameter, so quite small, they are in cluster mostly of tree, so not in a cone shape cluster. I can't remember if it was fragrant or not. leaves are also small, fuzzy and soft, (but I have no idea how it would look like in summer) of opposite arrangement.

This is in the data base:
Swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum)



It's not your exact variety but it's very close. Could this be your plant?

Thanks
the Rhododendron viscosum, really look alike, but still has the characteristic azalea flower with five petals and protruding arching stamens, and alternate leaves. this one a little different as it has four petals, no visible stamens, and the leaves are opposite, so as you and daisy said it is closer to lilac characters

Some of our Azalea are from Japan. The flowers grow in tight clusters, on some and loosely but in a whorl on others. It is lovely whatever it is. I'm curious. I will look around a bit more. I am trying to think what other shrubs have leaves like azalea. I have a fair number of different azalea, and some are fuzzy and some not at all.

Structure of flower is very different in Rhododendron/Azalea.

I believe this to be Daphne genkwa.
Note the leaves in pairs, grey hairy. Flowers with 4 petals...tubular
Just exquisite. Thank you for such a superb clear pic.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/...

https://cgf.net/plantdetails.a...

That looks just like it to me, @Silversurfer. Nice job.

@tofitropic, you have an ID for your plant. It is really nice.

It's available at several places.
Here is one: https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=U...

It does look like Syringa; for comparison:
Dwarf Korean Lilac (Syringa pubescens subsp. pubescens)

Always good to reconsider and check alternatives.
Daphne genkwa ...."Flowers appear in spring before leaves expand"
The orange stamen are visible inside the flowers.
This link has an excellent write up and images.

https://landscapeplants.oregon...

Whilst Dwarf Korean Lilac (Syringa pubescens subsp. pubescens) is early summer flowering and no stamen are visible.

Thanks @Silversurfer, I'm sorry been out of town for few days, and happy that it is now have an ID.
thank you all,..