Japan’s springtime showcases more than cherry blossoms. Following this iconic bloom, you will soon find another flower spectacle, painting landscapes with vibrant hues of pink, red, and white—the alluring azalea. From traditional gardens to tranquil parks, Japan has numerous destinations to experience the charm of these beautiful flowers. Let’s have...Continue Reading
Wisteria Splendor at Ashikaga Flower Park When it comes to experiencing the breathtaking beauty of Wisteria floribunda, commonly known as “Fuji” in Japanese, Ashikaga Flower Park stands out as a premier destination. Nestled in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, this park has undergone a transformation, becoming synonymous with the enchanting allure of...Continue Reading
Hi there! You’re in Tokyo? Maybe staying at Tokyo Family Stay’s Conoe Sanbancho’s Apartment?And you would like to see a park or garden? Then let’s go for a walk! A walk around and through the Tokyo Imperial Palace! Of course, you can start on any side of the Imperial Palace...Continue Reading
This month we got the amazing opportunity to test one of TokyoTreat’s subscription boxes. Maybe you have already heard of these kind of boxes? If not, let me explain in few words. Over the last years, boxes with treats from Japan became quite popular. Most of them come as subscription...Continue Reading
The next garden element on my list is the stone lantern. Everyone knows the beautiful withered lanterns made of natural or hewn rocks. Today I want to talk about their origin and use in the Japanese garden. Origin Lanterns weren‘t always a garden element. They were invented in a religious...Continue Reading
The next garden element on my list is the water basin! I guess, the best-known examples for these water basins are the ones in front of Japanese shrines but also the ones in Japanese tea gardens. Both are meant to symbolically purify oneself before entering a special place. To fulfill...Continue Reading
What I always tried to find out was the relationship between the Treasure Ship (takarabune) with the Seven Lucky Gods (shichifukujin), and the Ship Stone (funaishi). Now that I stuck at home, I have time to investigate! Let’s start with a more or less short explanation of these three:...Continue Reading
When I first came to Japan, I had very little money and always tried to save some by walking long distances within the city. This was when I found all these different garden styles which I didn’t see during my work as a gardener in Japan. Private gardens can’t usually...Continue Reading
Summer is in full swing, we only want to sit somewhere doing nothing, but the garden is calling already. It’s time for planting bulbs! Today I would like to introduce what kind of bulbs or rhizome-building plants are going well with a Japanese garden. Some people think that flowers...Continue Reading
Summer is a living nightmare for most in Japan with temperatures only getting higher in recent years. As a professional gardener living and working in Tokyo for the past seven years, I have no choice but to leave our lovely air-conditioned office and head to whichever garden we are...Continue Reading
