日本庭園
A brief look into the history and concept of a traditional Japanese garden
Exploring the History of Traditional Japanese Gardens I would like to leave with the following short series of posts about the history of traditional Japanese gardens. During my time at RJG, I delved into their realms to begin understanding the complex reasons and methods behind their creation and composition. To begin this series, I would […]
Kiyosumi Garden eBook – Discover Tokyo’s Stone Garden
We are excited to present our new Kiyosumi Garden eBook, the very first title in our new series The Secret Gardens of Tokyo! Kiyosumi – A Garden of Stones Unlike most gardens in our Famous Gardens of Tokyo series, Kiyosumi Garden does not date back to the Edo period. Its main design belongs to the […]
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 […]
Good Garden Day 2015 Rikugien visit
On Saturday’s Good Garden Day, I took the chance to visit the gardens of Rikugien in Tokyo. Just as a reminder, this garden was originally created in the Edo period (c. 1603 – 1868), and then recreated in the Meiji period (1868 – 1912). I thought this a prime opportunity to see some beautiful autumnal […]
Shinjuku Gyoen eBook – Explore Tokyo’s Historic Imperial Garden
It’s done! With this publication, we have completed our “Famous Gardens in Tokyo” eBook series. I am thrilled to finish this project and can now look forward to starting the next one: Secret Gardens in Tokyo. Hopefully, I can complete the second series soon as well. Shinjuku Gyoen – The Garden Behind Tokyo’s Name Now, […]
Rikugien Garden eBook – Discover Tokyo’s Waka Poetry Garden
We are excited to present our new Rikugien Garden eBook, part of the Famous Gardens of Tokyo series. This release brings us close to the completion of the collection! Rikugien – A Garden of Waka Poetry When researching Tokyo’s gardens, one quickly sees that no two are alike, even though most were created in the […]
Tokyo Garden Events in October 2015
2015 October 1st. : Entrance will be free in all great gardens of Tokyo (Except Shinjuku Gyoen!). Rikugien 24.10. 2015 Shamisen Concert13h & 14h Every weekend in October + 12.10. 2015 (Monday), except 25.10. 2015 (Sunday)Edo Daikagura and Fröbel mini concert, Daikagura3.10. 201512h, 13.30h, 14.30h, 15.30h Daikaguraother dates12h, 13h, 14.30h, 15.30h Fröbel mini concert3.10. 201513h […]