Posted in nature, gardens on Mar 8th, 2007 No Comments »
Last week the ume (often translated as plum blossoms, but in fact closer to the apricot) in the park of Osaka castle were in full bloom.
Before the sakura (cherry blossoms) became popular, in medieval times, the ume ruled supreme on the flowery firmament in Japan, as it did and still does in China. The ume […]
Posted in writing and poetry, nature, gardens on Oct 28th, 2006 No Comments »
Seen from the city, Higashi-Mukojima, the site of the Hyakkaen Garden, lies on the opposite bank of the Sumida River, something which is also expressed in the name ‘Mukojima,’ which means ‘Yonder Isle,’ or ‘Island on the Other Side of the Sumida.’ The garden was laid out on fertile land along the river’s bank. It […]
Posted in nature, travel and places, gardens on Oct 17th, 2006 No Comments »
What is a nicer place for a quiet, meditative stroll than a graveyard? Reading the stones, thinking about the transcience of life… In Tokyo, there is an added incentive: some cemeteries have beautiful old trees, while others are graced by cherry trees that create a pink riot in spring. In other words, Tokyo’s graveyards are […]
Posted in nature, gardens, temples, kyoto on Aug 22nd, 2006 No Comments »
Daichiji is one of those great Shiga prefecture temples, that lie far from the beaten track and offer their own private universe. The difficulty of getting there is fully rewarded by the experience. On a hot summer day, cicadas shrilling around us, we visit the Horai or Paradise Garden of Daichiji to see the ship […]
Posted in nature, travel and places, gardens on Aug 11th, 2006 1 Comment »
Kokoen, ‘The Garden of Love for Antiquity’ is not very antique itself as it was only built in 1992. It is, however, a pleasant group of gardens (in fact there are nine), laid out on the spot where once the Nishi-Oyashiki (the West Mansion) of Himeji Castle stood. The gardens are enclosed in white washed […]
Posted in nature, history, travel and places, museums on Aug 10th, 2006 No Comments »
If you are wondering what to do in Nagoya, a visit to Nagoya Castle might be a good idea. No, it is not an original castle anymore, like that other giant castle of yore, Osaka, the donjon has been lost and rebuilt in concrete, but is still an imposing presence and there is a great […]
Posted in Japan, nature, travel and places, temples on Aug 2nd, 2006 No Comments »
Entsuji, in the northern part of Kyoto, is a prime example of one of the major techniques of the Japanese art of the garden: shakkei, or ‘borrowed scenery.’ This means in short that the view is incorporated into the garden. In Entsuji’s case, distant Mt. Hiei is cleverly captured, thereby making the small garden more […]
Posted in Japan, nature, travel and places, religion and philosophy, temples on Jul 30th, 2006 No Comments »
Paradise Mountain lies here on earth, close to Hon-Nagashino on the Iida line out of Toyohashi in Aichi Prefecture. Horai-zan, it is called, and Horai is the Land of Bliss of the Chinese Taoist tradition. In its original conception, it was conceived as a mountainous island in the wide ocean, in Japan it was applied […]
Posted in nature, travel and places, gardens on Jul 29th, 2006 1 Comment »
Kanazawa, the historical town in Ishikawa prefecture, boasts two superb gardens. One is famous and public, the other private and much less well-known. One is bright and open, the other dark and secluded. The first one is the famous Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s daimyo gardens; lesser-known Gyokusenen is the other one. A visit to both […]
Posted in nature, travel and places on Jul 16th, 2006 No Comments »
A few days ago, a heatwave announced the end of the rainy season in Japan. Time to head to cooler climes, such as Hokkaido. Popular among the Japanese themselves are the lavender fields of Furano in the center of the large island. Furano derives from the Ainu word “furanui,” fragrant flame, but that probably refers […]