Three most beautiful gardens in Japan

There are various garden styles in Japan. My favorite style is dry landscape garden associated with Zen philosophy. But garden styles of Zen temple are not limited to dry landscape garden, as seen in Tenryu-ji in Kyoto, where borrowed landscape technique is used with a "path around a pond" style garden.

There are so called three most something in Japan, where something can be bridge, waterfall, or anything. Garden is not an exception and three are designated. All three are from Edo period from 17th to 19th century and made by samurai lord.

From east to west,

#1. Kairaku-en, Ibaraki prefecture
Tokugawa shogunate had three family branch, one in Kishu (modern Wakayama prefecture), one in Owari (modern Aichi prefecture), and one in Mito (modern Ibaraki prefecture).
Kairaku-en was built by Tokugawa Nariaki of Mito Tokugawa family in the mid 19th century for the purpose of recreational center for ordinary people. Plum tree is famous in the garden, which was initially planted for two reasons. One was to view the beauty of the blossoms, the other was more practical to help increase the food supplies.
Tokugawa Mitsukuni was famous in Mito Tokugawa family, who administered this domain in the 17th century. Mitsukuni began the big project to chronicle whole of the Japanese history from ancient times long before samurai or shogun had been there. This project took centuries to complete, but this history book project cast the doubt on the legitimacy of shogunate and began the Mito school of philosophy, which contributed to the demise of shogunate and ushered in Meiji Restoration. Small museum sits besides Kairaku-en showing the history of Mito Tokugawa family, and stone monument for "Dai-Nihon-Shi", or Great Japanese History Book, is in the precinct of the garden.

Kairaku-en, Sep 2015

Kairaku-en, Sep 2015

#2. Kenroku-en, Ishikawa prefecture
Kaga Hyakuman-goku, or Kaga million rice bushel, was the name given to the largest samurai family besides Tokugawa's during the Tokugawa or Edo shogunate time. Kenroku-en was built by Maeda clan using this enormous wealth.
After new Hokuriku shinkansen bullet train was opened in 2015, which links Tokyo and Kanazawa where this garden is located, the number of visitors surges.
The express train Thunderbird took about two hours from Osaka or Kyoto to reach Kanazawa.

Kenroku-en, May 2012

Kenroku-en, May 2012

#3. Koraku-en, Okayama prefecture
When I saw the garden in Alhambra palace in Spain, I was really struck by its beauty. Then I first visited Koraku-en one year after Alhambra, and my impression was that Koraku-en and Alhambra were in the same class just in different style.
Okayama city sits between Fukuoka/Hiroshima and Osaka, and conveniently accessed by Sanyo shinkansen bullet train.
Koraku-en was built by samurai lord Ikeda Tsunamasa in the 17th century. With Okayama castle in the background, walking around this garden is refreshing in spring, autumn, and winter, but I don't know how it feels in summer as I have never been to this garden in that season. There are hills, ponds, rice fields, hut, tea houses, water streams.

Koraku-en, May 2012

Koraku-en, May 2012

Castles in Japan

I list castles in Japan, to which I visited and took pictures, from east to west.

#. Tsuruga-jo (visited on 2013-04-28, in Fukushima Prefecture)
In the wake of Great East Earthquake and ensuing nuclear crisis in Fukushima, Tohoku region was in difficult situation and still is in 2016. But cherry blossoms bloomed to cheer people up in every spring.

With cherry blossoms, April 2013

With pine trees, April 2013

#. Matsumoto castle (visited on 2016-05-05, 2016-10-07, in Nagano Prefecture)

Clear sky, May 2016

Donjon reflected on moat at night, October 2016

#. Hikone castle (visited on several occasions, in Shiga Prefecture)
This part of Shiga prefecture seems to have a lot of snow, but this was my first time to see snow-capped Hikone castle. Japan got a tons of mascots for cities, towns, castles, temples, and virtuously anything to attract visitors. Hikonyan, the mascot of Hikone castle, was actually the first successful one starting around 2005(?). The snow statue of Hikonyan was a kind of artwork.

Snow capped donjon, December 2016

Snow statue of Hikonyan, popular mascot of Hikone castle, December 2016

Snow capped Genkyu-an garden in Hikone castle, December 2016

#. Himeji castle (visited on several occasions, in Hyogo Prefecture)

After great Heisei renovation, January 2015

After great Heisei renovation, January 2015

#. Matsuyama castle (visited on 2014-02-xx, in Ehime Prefecture)


#. Matsue castle (visited on 2012-05-xx, in Shimane Prefecture)

Cherry Blossoms in Nara Yoshino 2015 - Mid April

Mount Yoshino in Nara prefecture has been quite frequently sung in Japanese poetry from ancient times. Its mountain cherry blossoms is said to be the most beautiful in Japan. Monk Saigyo sang in his poem in 12th century that he wished to die in the day of Syakyamuni's nirvana day under cherry blossoms of Mount Yoshiko. And it is said that actually he did die in the day but not in Mount Yoshino.

Nowaday, less than 2 hours train ride links Kyoto and Yoshino. Ancient times, it would take some days from emperor's residence in Kyoto to Yoshino, but record has it that number of emperors paid a trip to this place. In 14th century, dual imperial courts had existed in short duration called South-North court. South court was established by emperor Go-daigo in this place, resisting the "North" court in Kyoto. The shrine for emperor Go-daigo still exists and view from there is magnificent in this season, called "thousand trees in one look".

From low altitude to high altitude, mountain areas are called shimo senbon, naka senbon, kami senbon, and oku senbon. Monk Saigyo's hut exists in the highest area of oku senbon.

It is said that the place is quite crowded in this season, and the certain limited express train services between Yoshino and Kyoto/Osaka are fully booked. Still local train services are available to reach the foot of Mount Yoshino. From there, there are ropeway service to shimo senbon, but quite a long queue was formed. But just 20 minutes of uphill walk substitutes ropeway service. Shimo senbon area was quite crowded. There is a huge temple of Kimpusen-ji, which adheres to mixed faith of indigenous mountain worship and Buddhism. On the occasion of spring festive mood, there was a mountain priests procession. It could be nice, but it blocked the road from shimo senbon to upper part of the mountain perhaps half an hour. One more encounter of the crowdedness was that just boarding bus service from naka senbon to oku senbon had to be waited for one hour. Thus walking the sometimes unpaved path was the fastest yet challenging way up the hill.

It rained the day before, and the weather was cloudy on the day. So the unpaved part of the path was slippery. If you were to tumble, your clothes could get muddy instantly. Mikumari shrine, Takagi viewpoint rest place were reached, but the weather became chilly and Monk Saigyo's hut was given up. There seems to be another legend that tragic samurai hero of Minamoto Yoshitune, younger brother of the very first shogun Minamoto Yoritomo, hided in Mount Yoshino.

"Thousand trees in one look" (一目千本) from shimo senbon, 11-Apr-2015

From Kami senbon, 11-Apr-2015

From Kami senbon, 11-Apr-2015

Shotoku school of Buddhism in Nara Ikaruga town

Less known than Nara city's cosmic Buddha in Todai-ji and deers around Nara park, Ikaruga town is possibly of more historical value and yet far less crowded in Nara prefecture. Actually one of the two World Heritage sites there are close to devoid of tourists even in the cherry blossom season.

Horyu-ji, Horin-ji, and Hoki-ji belongs to Shotoku school of Buddhism, becoming independent of Hokke school quite recently in 1950. This soil is associated with Prince Shotoku, whose face used to be printed on 10,000 yen notes. Possibly Horyu-ji is the second oldest among major temples only to Asuka-dera also in Nara prefecture.

From JR Horyu-ji station, street to Horyu-ji has a lot of car traffic. From huge temple ground of Horyu-ji to Horin-ji, car traffic decreases dramatically and the idyllic landscape reins. There are strawberry farms, but no convenience stores. Signposts are not so many, and distance is comfortably decent on foot, so can be lost but can't die, as there are at least two drink vending machines from Horyu-ji to Horin-ji. And it seems that certain community bus services exists around the area that is too infrequent to be of help to touristy type.

Horin-ji is free of charge. It temple ground is small in comparison to Horyu-ji, but quite comfortable. The number of touristy type decreases dramatically from Horyu-ji. Foot seems to be the best transportation choice, but rental bicycle is another choice.

From Horin-ji to Hoki-ji, the idyllic landscape continues but the last stretch goes along the car traffic. Hoki-ji, one of the two World Heritage sites in this town, charges 300 yen. Now mostly devoid of touristy type, relaxing time can be had. This temple ground is said to have established in early 7th century of Prince Shotoku's time and flourished in 8th century, when this temple was independent of Horyu-ji. But after this temple came under Horyu-ji's control in 9th century, decline started. In the early Edo period of 17th century, only three story pagoda remained. Effort for resurgence was undertaken in mid Edo period onward and the current Galan spacial design and buildings were re-established. The temple ground and buildings continues to exist, but its school changes from Shingon Esoteric to Hokke to Shotoku. It is one of the puzzling historical facts that the same temple could be used for different Buddhist schools, as teaching can be quite different from school to school. 300 yen admission fee is worth it, passing Hoki-ji's turbulent 1400 year heritage to the future in this rural relaxing atmosphere.

Hoki-ji, 04-Apr-2015

Horin-ji, 04-Apr-2015

Horyu-ji five storied pagoda, 04-Apr-2015

Rimpa - temple of art gallery

Western world seems to be in Easter holiday over this weekend this year. Nothing related to that, but birth of Shakyamuni or Buddha is April 8.

Kennin-ji temple is said to be the first Zen temple in Kyoto, founded by monk Eisai. Eisai is also known for introducing green tea to Japan from Sung dynasty of China, where he had undertaken Zen teaching in 12th century. This temple also seems to have nurtured painters old and new, the most famous among them being representative of Rimpa school of Tawaraya Sotatsu. Even though the original is now stored in Kyoto National Museum, one of the most famous works of Sotatsu "The Wind and Thunder Gods" was originally at Kennin-ji, and its precise replica made with camera giant Cannon is on display at this Rinzai Zen temple. And quite unique thing about Kennin-ji is that photos are allowed to all the paintings, gardens, and buildings in the premises.

The Wind and Thunder Gods, by Tawaraya Sotatsu, 03-Apr-2015

Tawaraya Sotatsu was a merchant painter and Kyoto native, while Kaiho Yusho was from samurai family, whose master Asai clan was defeated by Oda clan in warring period and Yusho was solo survivor of his family. He abandoned samurai (there might not be any other way to survive than that) and became Buddhist monk at Tofuku-ji temple in Kyoto, which is also Rinzai Zen.

Flowers and Birds, by Kaiho Yusho, 03-Apr-2015

Cloud Dragon, by Kaiho Yusho, 03-Apr-2015

The old paintings were related to Buddhism or painted for Buddhist temples as patron, so it is natural for them to be on display on the ancient institutions. But some of the old Buddhist temples now display contemporary artists' works. The works of Toba Mika were painted for Kennin-ji on the occasion of 800th year of monk Eisai's passing in 2014. These paintings are not even landscape of Japan, but of Vietnam. The motif is different, but canvas is traditional Japanese sliding doors.

The calm, by contemporary Toba Mika, 03-Apr-2015

Twin Dragons were also new work. This huge painting was commissioned on the occasion of 800th year of the temple's founding in 2002. The motif is same, but impression is different from old works.

Twin Dragons, drawn on the ceiling of Dharma Hall with size of 11.4m by 15.7m, 03-Apr-2015

Dharma Hall (Hatto) and Hojo are connected with corridor, and you can view the huge ground of temple complex from there. In this season, you may happen to view cherry blossoms in full bloom.

Cherry blossoms seen from the corridor between Hojo and Hatto, 03-Apr-2015

Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto 2015 - late March

28-Mar-2015 (Sat)
Jyobon-rendai-ji (上品蓮台寺)

Cherry blossoms at Jyobon-rendai-ji, 28-Mar-2015 (Sat)

History of Jyobon-rendai-ji, 28-Mar-2015 (Sat)

29-Mar-2015 (Sun) Imperial Palace Garden in rainy condition

Imperial Palace Garden, 29-Mar-2015 (Sun)

30-Mar-2015 (Mon) To-ji temple

To-ji temple, 30-Mar-2015 night (Mon)

To-ji temple, 30-Mar-2015 night (Mon)

31-Mar-2015 night (Tue)

Kano river to Shichi-jo bridge, 31-Mar-2015 (Tue)

Maruyama Park, 31-Mar-2015 night (Tue)

Gion Shirakawa, 31-Mar-2015 night (Tue)

Kyoto's sister city - Prague's Jewish Quarter

A couple of hours became available in Prague just before going back home, so I took a look at Prague main railway station and got lost in Jewish Quarter.


I tend to like an atmosphere of station, where people come and leave. Especially European train station is of special interest as there are international trains, where are yet impossible to island nation of Japan. I found a train bound for Hungarian capital of Budapest on this occasion. It is understandable that they share the liking of goulash.

Prague main railway station, 20-Mar-2015

From main railway station strolled I to National Museum and Wenceslas Square, then to Old Town. There I just took a path bit off the heavy touristy area, and got lost in Jewish Quarter. Jewish Quarter is tourist spot on its own, but still I got lost. Christianity is imported to Japan mostly superficially, but Judaism is almost absent in Japanese soil. I didn't get the hint what Judaism is in just a short walk, but it was interesting to be lost in Jewish Quater.

Ceremonial Hall in Jewish Quarter, 20-Mar-2015

Spanish Synagogue in Jewish Quarter, 20-Mar-2015

Maisel Synagogue in Jewish Quarter, 20-Mar-2015

After enjoying being lost in Jewish Quarter, I emerged to Vltaba river that was becoming familiar view. I encountered two street music performer on the bridge, one playing accordion and the other playing glass. Both were comfortable to my ears on the bridge.

Glass music performer on Charles Bridge, 20-Mar-2015