cool japan
Shōren-in eBook – Discover Kyoto’s Imperial Temple Garden
We are excited to present our new Shōren-in eBook, a special release alongside our series The Secret Gardens of Tokyo. Shōren-in – An Imperial Temple in Kyoto During a study trip to Kyoto in early winter 2015, we visited several gardens that left a strong impression. Shōren-in fascinated us with its modern fusuma sliding doors […]
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 […]
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 […]