Yeah! It’s this time of year again!I’m always happy when autumn comes closer and I can start choosing the pictures for the next Japanese garden calendar. For the 2026 calendar, I mainly selected photos from our garden visits this year and last year. Some choices were also influenced by our...Continue Reading
The Spider Lily is a flower that blooms in Japan each autumn. Its vibrant red petals, curved like spider legs, make it an unmistakable sight in rural and urban landscapes alike. But this flower is more than just a visual highlight—it holds deep symbolic meaning in Japanese culture, representing both...Continue Reading
Discover the meaning of taiko-bashi, the iconic arched bridges in Japanese shrines, temples, and gardens. Learn about their symbolism, religious use, and cultural significance.Continue Reading
Visiting Byōdō-in Temple in Uji was the first point on my itinerary. You might already be familiar with it—its famous Phoenix Hall is featured on the back of the ¥10 coin. The temple was originally built in the Heian period as a villa, and later converted into a Buddhist temple...Continue Reading
In early August 2015, I visited the Adachi Museum of Art. Pictures of its gardens always appear here and there on the internet, and I was always moved by the beauty of this not old, but old-appearing garden. I set it on my garden bucket list. History of the Adachi...Continue Reading
Discover the history and symbolism of round windows in Japanese gardens and architecture, including the Yoshino window, Zen temple designs, and sukiya-style tea houses.Continue Reading
Hamarikyu garden When visiting Japanese gardens in winter, one will recognize some strange ropes and mats around the pine trees and some other plants. These are called Yukizuri 雪吊り and Fuyugakui 冬囲い. Both are meant to protect the trees from the weight of snow. In Tokyo there is seldom so much...Continue Reading
Beyond Basics Part 3: Symbolic Plants & Seasonal Patterns Japanese gardens are designed to reflect nature’s beauty through carefully chosen elements. In this installment, we explore Japanese Garden Plants & Patterns, highlighting their cultural significance and role in shaping the seasonal aesthetics of these landscapes. Japanese Garden Plants & Patterns...Continue Reading
The Tsuboniwa in Japan Kanji: 庭 – niwa – garden, yard 坪 – tsubo – unit of land measurement, 3.31 square meters, 2 tatami mats 壷 – tsubo – jar, pot, vase The courtyard garden – called tsuboniwa in Japanese – is a garden in a small, enclosed area. The...Continue Reading
It is the end of February and we already hit the time of plum blossoms with only one month left until famous cherry blossom season starts! Today I want to introduce some gardens, which hosts great plum and/ or cherry trees! The early plum blossoms in Japanese gardens are often...Continue Reading
