Garden Travel
Tokyo’s Admirable Gardens
You might think, real Japanese gardens can be found within Kyoto alone. Today I want to convince you that this is not true. There are also admirable gardens in Japan’s modern capital Tokyo. If you are already on my side, please read anyhow, you will see beautiful garden pictures and might discover the one or […]
[New eBook] The Adachi Museum of Art
Being involved in a time-consuming publishing process on Amazon, I am very happy I finally found the time to write a new eBook for Real Japanese Gardens. In July, I wrote two articles about the Adachi Museum of Art for two web magazines, so I chose our new eBook to be about the Museum’s six […]
Kobori Enshu-style gardens in Shizuoka and Aichi prefecture
Kyoto and Tokyo are well known for their density of fine Japanese gardens. What fewer people know is, that also other areas have quite a few reasonable Japanese gardens. One of these I would like to introduce today. Shizuoka Prefecture, former Tōtōmi Province (another name: Enshū) Before the daimyō system was demolished in 1871, the […]
[New eBook] The Teahouses of the Tokyo National Museum
Finally I finished the last book in our “Gardens in Tokyo” series! I am very happy and also a little bit proud. The last book features the secret garden of the Tokyo National Museum, which is only open for the public in spring and autumn. I visited the garden three times, twice in autumn and […]
How to become a gardener in Japan
I often get E-mails where people ask if I know a way how to get a gardener-job in Japan. Maybe it is time to write down my experiences in a blog post for everyone.. First of all: I was very very lucky when I came to Japan. I met the best people in the world […]
Reasons for traditional Japanese gardens, in consideration of religious beliefs and recreation over time
The Origins and Evolution of Traditional Japanese Gardens The first thing that must be appreciated when referring to the ‘traditional Japanese garden’ is that this spans a great history of many different eras, possibly to the origins of tangible culture upon this island. Thus, the history of gardens incorporates many evolutionary forms from their simplistic […]
Gardens Above: Tokyo’s Rooftop Gardens
Searching for a New Style of Garden Recently I ventured around Tokyo in search of a relatively new style of garden. I wanted to explore the differences that have taken place between the creation of traditional Japanese gardens and contemporary ones. The Japanese have a reputation for being creative, not least in the garden – […]
Hamarikyu Garden Tokyo – A Modern Concept of Shakkei
Visiting Hamarikyu In December last year I visited Tokyo’s Hamarikyu Edo era garden, which lies low on the original coastline of the city. It is a relatively large garden spreading in the mounds of man-made mountains, across a tidal pond, duck-hunting grounds and salt fields beneath the cities towering heights. It was primarily a pleasure […]
Traditional Machiya Townhouse in Tokyo Setagaya
Late last year, we had a surprise visit to a traditional machiya (townhouse) in Tokyo. The Charm of Wood in Japanese Homes I love houses made from hand-hewn stone, but those built from carved wood hold a different kind of specialness. Wood carries delicate aromas and a sense of shifting time. Its exposed growth lines […]
Kyoto Garden Tour 2015 — Day 3: Shigemori, Koke-dera & Secret Gardens
The final day of our Kyoto garden tour was full of contrasts — from modern interpretations of Japanese gardens to moss-covered temples steeped in ancient tradition. Matsuno-taisha — Shigemori’s Modern Gardens We began at Matsuno-taisha, one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines, founded in 701 AD. The shrine’s gardens were designed by Mirei Shigemori (1896–1975), a […]