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MAY.22.2016

 Thank you for visiting this site and watching at this JOURNAL.
 I’m sorry for the late updates recently. And I know it's sudden, but the JOURNAL will not appear due to a national examination of The landscape gardening management (造園施工管理技士1級).
 I’m gonna continue from middle of September.addition; I passed the first examination on September. Due to study for the last examination, I disided to extend the pause until Desember. Sorry for keeping wait.
 Thank you and best regards,

 Shohei

HYDRANGEA "AZISAI"

MAY.15.2016

 【Hydrangea macrophylla】
 ・A hydrangea. The tree called “Azisai (アジサイ,紫陽花)” in Japan. It’s a deciduous shrub. There are many kinds, the origin is “H. macrophylla f. normalis （ガクアジサイ）” which grow naturally in Japan.
 ・The hydrangea changes color in June. The part looking like a flower is a calyx. The color of the calyxchanges by acidity of the soil; the acidity is blue, and the alkaline is red.
 ・Spots famous for hydrangea in Kyoto are Sanzen-in temple and Mimuroto-ji temple. It is a best season to enjoy hydrangea from the middle of June until the last of June.

THE PRUNING TECHNIQUE "SUKASHI-SENTEI"

MAY.8.2016

 If we didn’t prune trees of gardens, the trees would grow taller and taller, and the internal branches and leaves would die because sunlight would become hard to reach.

 Prunning trees has some advantages in that it can keep the size of trees (and also, it is possible to restrain the tree growth or promote one.) , and it can prevent the breeding of injurious insects.

 Summer of Kyoto is oppressively hotter and humider. The Japanese gardeners of Kyoto have a pruning technique is named “Sukashi-Sentei (透かし剪定)”, literally means “thin the branches of a tree”.  After pruning by the technique, the shape of the tree looks good, and the amount of sunlight reaching the tree crowns is increased by removing unnecessary branches; It’s hard for new gardeners to distinguish necessary branches from unnecessary one.

 I also have been taking a careful look at how my boss prunes trees, to improve my skill as a gardener.

AZALEA "TSUTSUJI"

APL.24.2016

 【Rhododendron】
 ・The tree is called Azalea, called "Tsutsuji(ツツジ)" in Japan.
 ・Tsutsuji is an evergreen tree, it is often pruned to a low-tree. It is, if anything, classified slow-growing, and has a variety of species. It likes in sunny places.
 ・The blossom is from April to June. It is very popular as the flower which we enjoy in Japanese garden in the spring, and planted many Japanese gardens.
 ・It’s popular to prune Tsutsuji as a round shape by Karikomi-basami, and also It’s possible to prune Tsutsuji as a natural shape by Sentei-basami or Ki-basami.
 ・Common varieties of Tsutsuji are “Oomurasaki-Tsutsuji(オオムラサキツツジ); pic1”, “Satuki-Tsutsuji(サツキ) ;pic2”, and “Kurume-Tsutsuji(クルメツツジ); pic3”.

DAIKAKU-JI TEMPLE

APL.17.2016

 Daikaku-ji temple(大覚寺) has a close connection to the imperial household, having been converted from Emperor Saga's villa. It was established on this site in the early Heian period, about 1,200 years ago.

 The floor faces of the corridors are at the high position than ground, so the tourist can look down the garden from a high position. The garden is introduced Shakkei(借景; borrowing landscapes). Shakkei is a technique thatmaking use of the surrounding landscape in the design of a garden.
 With incorporation of the natural scenery such as trees, mountains, or bamboo forests outside the garden as the background for the scenery inside the garden, it is a technique to form a dynamic spectacle which integrates the garden as the foreground and the borrowed landscape as background.

 There is a big pond named Osawa pond(大沢池) at this temple. Osawa pond, said to have been constructed by Emperor Saga, is based on China's Lake Dongting, and this pond that still reflects the Chinese Tang Dynasty style culture of the time was designated a scenic spot as a National Cultural Property in 1923.

 The Scenery, which Osawa pond with the mountains used Shakkei, is very magnificent and feels relaxed.

 And also, you can look at the historic styles of building such as Shinden-zukuri(寝殿造り) andShoin-zukuri (書院造り). It has many worthy buildings that have been constructed in the style of or relocated from the Imperial Court.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS / SAKURA "SOMEIYOSHINO"

APL.10.2016

 【Prunus x yedoensis】
 ・Cherry blossoms, called “Sakura(サクラ,桜)” in Japan, have bloomed the flowers.
 ・Sakura is a deciduous tall tree, it likes in sunny places. If Sakura don’t get enough Sun-light, it may make few brooms.
 ・Sakura has many kinds. Especially “Someiyoshino(ソメイヨシノ,染井吉野)”, which was developed in the late Edo period(1853-1868 CE), has spread widely throughout the country since the Meiji period(1868-1912 CE) and been a typical Sakura in Japan.
  Someiyoshino (scientific name: 【Prunus x yedoensis】) is a type of cherry tree as a garden plant, having been produced by crossbreeding Cerasus spachiana 'Komatsuotome(コマツオトメ)' in the line of Edohigan (エドヒガン,【P. pendula Maxim. f. ascendens (Makino) Ohwi】) and the Oshima-Sakura (オオシマザクラ,【P. lannesiana var. speciosa】).
  In the case of Someiyoshino, the flower bloom earlier than making the leaf. And there is one of cause that we love them, Someiyoshino is comparatively earlier growing and blooming the flower than other kind of Sakura.

MUROMACHI-PERIOD(1336-1573 CE)

MAR.27.2016

 MUROMACHI-PERIOD/室町時代 (1336-1573 CE)

 Many aspects of Japanese culture today considered iconic of Japan, including the archetype of the tea ceremony (茶道), Noh-theater (能楽: The Japanese classical drama), and Shoin-zukuri (書院造り: a traditional Japanese architectural style) were created during Muromachi period.
 Compared to the Shinden-zukuri(寝殿造り) introduced earlier, the character of the Shoin-zukuri was the functional structure of being able to divide the inside space into large and small rooms for each purpose, changing a large hall to one for multipurpose.
 The Japanese garden of Muromachi period was reflected Zen Buddhism thought and created Karesansui (枯山水: The dry landscape).
 Muso Soseki (夢窓疎石), a Zen monk of the Rinzai Sect of Buddhism from the end Kamakura period to the early Muromachi period, is also a well-known Japanese gardener, and created famous Japanese gardens, Tenryu-ji temple(天龍寺), Saiho-ji temple(西芳寺), and more.

 The representative gardens which were created in Muromachi period and be located in Kyoto are Zisho-ji temple’s garden(慈照寺), Rokuon-ji temple’s garden(鹿苑寺), and more.

PLANNING A GARDEN

MAR.20.2016

 Thank you for emailing me, Michael-san.
 I planned and drew a japanese garden which matched your ideal conditions. Please enjoy making your garden. Thanks.

THE DRY LANDSCAPE "KARESANSUI"

MAR.13.2016

 Karesansui (枯山水) is a representative style of Japanese garden.
 The garden is mainly composed of white sand, stones, and plants to imitate the scenery of the hills and rivers figuratively without using water. This abstract expression of a garden was especially used and developed by the Zen sect temples of the Muromachi period (1336-1573 CE).

 We call the ripple mark on the white sand “Samon (砂紋)”, it has various patterns and continue to fascinate people. the tool to line on the sand is called “Samon-hiki (砂紋引き)”.

 Shirakawa sand(白川砂) is used for the white sand of Karesansui in Kyoto.
 The representative Karesansui gardens located in Kyoto are Ryoan-ji temple (竜安寺), Daisen-in of the Daitoku-ji Temple (大徳寺大仙院), and more.

PRUNUS MUME "UME"

FEB.28.2016

 【Prunus mume】
 ・The tree is called "Ume(ウメ,梅)" in japan.
 ・Ume is a deciduous tall tree, classified slow-growing. It has a variety of species, and it likes in sunny places.
 ・The blossom of Ume is in early spring. Speaking of Spring blossom in Japan, the majority of people may associate Cherry blossom, however it seemed that the people who associated Ume than Cherry blossom as spring blossom were majority until Heian period (794-1185 CE).
 ・Without pruning, Ume will lose the tree shape. the blossoms and the fruits will decrease. And if cherry trees are cut unnecessarily, the cut surface can start to decay, so pruning of them requires care. So, In Japan, there is a proverb “Anyone who prunes cherry trees is a fool, as is anyone who doesn't prune Ume trees.(桜切る馬鹿、梅切らぬ馬鹿)” derives from their characteristic.

THE STEEL OF PRUNING SHEARS "SHIROGAMI" AND "AOGAMI"

FEB.21.2016

 "Yasuki-steel(安来鋼)" is a steel which was created by Yasuki factory, and it is made use of many japanese cutlery, also japanese pruning shears too. The steel is divided into "Shirogami-steel(白紙)", "Aogami-steel(青紙)", etc by the hardness and the ingredient.

 The pruning shears made from Shirogami-steel cut very well, because of Carbon is contained much in. It is easier to polish Shirogami-steel's pruning shears than Aogami-steel's one.
 Aogami-steelis the high-quality steel which added Chrome and Tungsten to Shirogami-steel, and strengthened the hardness and tenacity, so the price of Aogami-steel's pruning shears becomes higher than Shirogami-steel's one a little.t has the very high hardness, and the sharpness lasts a long time. In addition, this cut end is finished neatly.

 The literal translation of "Shirogami(白紙)" is "a white paper" and "Aogami(青紙)" is "a blue paper". Because of the maker used a white paper and a blue paper as the mark to distinguish each steel. So these names have nothing to do with the color of steel.

KAMAKURA-PERIOD(1185-1333 CE)

FEB.14.2016

 KAMAKURA-PERIOD/鎌倉時代(1185-1333 CE)

 From Kamakura period, the Shogunate was opened in Kamakura and established as a samurai government from aristocracy, but the center of Japanese culture was still Kyoto from the Heian period.
 According to the change of the lifestyle, the scale and the design of the gardens (”Sinden-zukuri garden” and “Jodo style garden”) gradually simplified it. A lot of Zen Buddhism temples were built in this time.

 The representative gardens which were created in Kamakura period and be located in Kyoto are Saiho-ji temple’s garden(西芳寺), Tenryu-ji temple’s garden(天龍寺), and more.

HEIAN-PERIOD(794-1185 CE)

JUN.24.2016

 HEIAN-PERIOD/平安時代 (794-1185 CE)

 The city of this time was Kyoto.
 The garden of the early Heian period was strongly affected by Chinese culture (the Tang dynasty).
 In the mid Heian Period, Japanese noble culture called “Kokufu-bunka(国風文化:Japanese style culture)”, bloomed.
 The form of residence of the aristocracy during the Heian period is called “Shinden-zukuri(寝殿造り)” and the form of the building is generalized, and the form of the gardens had been improved upon as Shinden-zukuri gardens accordingly.
 The Shinden-zukuri gardens are particularly known today because "Sakutei-ki (作庭記:the oldest book about gardens in Japan)” remains available today. Sakutei-ki explains how to create a garden, taking Shinden-zukuri into consideration, in which the theory of 'Four Gods = Mountain, river, road and lake' is described as the ideal basis for such a garden.
 And from the middle of the Heian period, ”Jodo style garden(浄土式庭園)” that mimics the idea of Western Paradise under the doctrine of the Jodo thoughts of Buddhism (thoughts of going to heaven through praying to Amida Buddha) was prevailing.

 The representative gardens which were created in Heian period and be located in Kyoto are Daikaku-ji temple(大覚寺), Byodo-in(平等院), and more.

THE WASHBASIN SET IN A ROJI "TUKUBAI"

JUN.17.2016

 “Tukubai(蹲踞)” is one of facilities for Japanese gardens and installed in Roji: reference to a past article THE GARDEN OUTSIDE A CEREMONIAL TEA-ROOM "ROJI”. A traditional Tukubai provided beside a tea-house.
 Tukubai is a stone basin in which water is placed for cleansing the mouth and hands before entering a tea room.

 The term Tukubai literally means "stooping", and it is so named because one has to stoop down to wash one's hands using a “Chozubachi(手水鉢)”: the parts of Tukubai which is the stone basin. The main constitution of Tukubai is 5 parts.
 The first parts is Chozubachi I wrote before. It stands at the front of Tukubai.
 The second is “Teshoku-ishi(手燭石)”, the stone which is for put on a lantern when a tea ceremony is held at the night. It stands at the left position.
 The third is “Yuoke-ishi(湯桶石)”, the stone which is for put on a pail with the hot water to warm hands when a tea ceremony is held in the winter. It stands at the right position. The left and right positioning of the Teshoku-ishi and the Yuoke-ishi varies depending on the school of tea ceremony.
 The forth is “Mae-ishi(前石)”, the stone which a tea-ceremony’s guest stand to use Chozubachi, and each of those four stones(Chozubachi, Teshoku-ishi, Yuoke-ishi, and Mae-ishi) are also called “Yaku-ishi(役石)”. It literally means "the stone which has a role."
 Finally, the fifth parts of Tukubai is “Umi(海)”. It is an area on the ground surrounded by the Yaku-ishis. It is covered with gravel, etc. in order to handle water spilled over the Chozubachi.

THE NEW YEAR'S DECORATIONS "KADOMATU"

JUN.10.2016

 "Kadomatu(門松)" is the New Year's pine-tree decorations which is one of Japanese New Year’s decorations.
 It consist s of pine-tree, bamboo, plum-tree, and some plants which fitted in New Year’s season It is bamboo to be outstanding by an appearance, but pine-tree has the leading role of them. In japanese, Pine-tree is called “Matu(松)”, and this reading is the same a word(祀る) which means to worship God. This is the reason why pine-tree has been considered to be the tree which God dwelled in, and we use it as the decoration.
 According to a theory, the custom of bringing pine home in the New Year days started during Heian period(794 CE~) and the present-day style of displaying the Kadomatu at the entrance was adopted during Muromachi period(1336CE~).

 Kadomatu is used also bamboo and plum-tree, other than pine-tree. We think them as a set, and often use the set anything. it is called "Shochikubai(松竹梅: pine-tree, bamboo and plum-tree)”.The 'Shochikubai' is regarded as the symbol of “auspicious” things.

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