Showing posts tagged Rock gardens
Seven Sub-Temples of Daitokuji, Kyoto Oubai-in Zen Temple, Number 5 The “tsuboniwa” (small courtyard garden) of Oubai-in had me aching to take a photo for this blog, but a postcard is all I could take. Sorry. PS I would love to give the photographer credit for this image, but I can’t read the Japanese on the front or back of the card. I’ll ask for help later and update it. View high resolution

Seven Sub-Temples of Daitokuji, Kyoto

Oubai-in Zen Temple, Number 5

The “tsuboniwa” (small courtyard garden) of Oubai-in had me aching to take a photo for this blog, but a postcard is all I could take. Sorry.

PS I would love to give the photographer credit for this image, but I can’t read the Japanese on the front or back of the card. I’ll ask for help later and update it.

Seven Sub-Temples of Daitoku-ji, Murasakino, Kyoto Daisen-In Temple and this is the clutter I told you about in the last post. The slightly blurry photo is from page 16 of one of my favourite gardening books: The Art of the Japanese Garden by David and Michiko Young (Tuttle Publishing, 2005). It won the American Horticultural Society Book Award. I’m not always convinced by awards (especially Oscars) but the AHS seems to be more fair. As a beginner to Japanese gardens a few years ago, I used this book and a website from Bowdoin College in Maine to decide what gardens I would like to visit in Japan, and by the time I left Italy, I was so attached to The Art of the Japanese Garden I didn’t want to leave it behind, even if it was a hardcover edition and bit heavy (weight, not content). After three visits covering more than two months in Japan Iìve seen nearly every garden they have mentioned in the book and many more, and I find their essays and photos informative and accurate - a great start to understanding the religion and culture, history and materials behind the scenes. Not a how-to book, for anyone who wants to quickly plop in some Japanese looking stuff in their garden and call it a “Zen Garden”, but that’s not what I want to do, nor should you. At any rate, I’ll let the photo speak for itself, since I’ve done plenty in this and the next entry. View high resolution

Seven Sub-Temples of Daitoku-ji, Murasakino, Kyoto

Daisen-In Temple

and this is the clutter I told you about in the last post. The slightly blurry photo is from page 16 of one of my favourite gardening books: The Art of the Japanese Garden by David and Michiko Young (Tuttle Publishing, 2005). It won the American Horticultural Society Book Award. I’m not always convinced by awards (especially Oscars) but the AHS seems to be more fair. As a beginner to Japanese gardens a few years ago, I used this book and a website from Bowdoin College in Maine to decide what gardens I would like to visit in Japan, and by the time I left Italy, I was so attached to The Art of the Japanese Garden I didn’t want to leave it behind, even if it was a hardcover edition and bit heavy (weight, not content). After three visits covering more than two months in Japan Iìve seen nearly every garden they have mentioned in the book and many more, and I find their essays and photos informative and accurate - a great start to understanding the religion and culture, history and materials behind the scenes. Not a how-to book, for anyone who wants to quickly plop in some Japanese looking stuff in their garden and call it a “Zen Garden”, but that’s not what I want to do, nor should you.

At any rate, I’ll let the photo speak for itself, since I’ve done plenty in this and the next entry.

Seven Sub-Temples of Daitoku-ji, Murasakino, Kyoto Daisen-In Temple I guess I saved the worst for last. Mind you, no Japanese garden historian would agree with me because Daisen-in is a masterpiece - a real old gem with a famous name attached: Kogaku-Zenji created this garden in 1509. But the arrival is a bit depressing. English signs abound telling the ignorant masses to TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES before entering the temple. DO NOT WALK ON THE WOOD with your shoes on - and a new one for my eyes “DON’T TOUCH OTHER PEOPLES SHOES” Makes me wonder what happened there once upon a time. I wanted to scribble “or asses” on that sign, but the thought alone was enough to make me smile. Then we have the friendly BIG BROTEHER warning that the ticket seller points to and says “Please read” followed by an “OK?” when you look back at her.  We’re very sorry, but unfortunately people in the past have damaged the temple garden and columns by using cameras and photographic equipment, so we must ask all visitors to refrain from taking any photos or videos while visiting this temple. We hope that you will understand. We would like to remind you that the temple is under video surveillance”. This is the same Temple that has loads of postcards and brochures and books for sale. Lots of crap, some stuff really old and unappealing. One beautiful book by a Kyoto photographer I like very much. While following the English description of the garden - describing every single rock in the garden (and there are many) every one just SO meaningful and important, the reader is reminded repeatedly of the tea ceremony costing I can’t remember - 1,000 yen? 1,500? I quote from their brochure: If you would like to be served green tea while looking at this garden, please try to say “O-chao kudasai,” and you will have another unforgettable memory. No thanks. My memory of this place is of a garden under construction a few years ago, warning signs at the entrance saying more or less “What you really came to see is all covered with scaffolding and tarps and stuff. Wanna come pay and see it anyway? and I did. This time I got the surveillance warning. I guess I’ve seen it enough. It isn’t that great even in real life. Why? Because the “masterpiece” is jammed full of rocks, and despite their meanings and oh-so-brilliant placement, they don’t actually look “right” in that small space. There’s even a Japanese/English sign here on the bridge saying NO ENTRY! to really spoil any beauty it might have. The photo above this rant is from my Art of the Japanese Garden book by David and Michiko Young. That will give you an idea of how stifling the composition is. I don’t care if the garden was influenced by Chinese or Japanese ink drawings, I don’t care if it was created by the temple’s founder. I don’t care if it is over 500 years old. I’ve seen older, much better ones. As Ja’mie King from “Summer Heights High” would say, “Sorry, but it’s true.” That said, the rock congestion is all on that one side, and the larger gravel garden (probably south of the main hall, but my direction might be off) representing the great sea of the after-life is truly calming and beautiful, especially with those two cones of gravel. View high resolution

Seven Sub-Temples of Daitoku-ji, Murasakino, Kyoto

Daisen-In Temple

I guess I saved the worst for last. Mind you, no Japanese garden historian would agree with me because Daisen-in is a masterpiece - a real old gem with a famous name attached: Kogaku-Zenji created this garden in 1509.

But the arrival is a bit depressing. English signs abound telling the ignorant masses to TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES before entering the temple. DO NOT WALK ON THE WOOD with your shoes on - and a new one for my eyes “DON’T TOUCH OTHER PEOPLES SHOES” Makes me wonder what happened there once upon a time. I wanted to scribble “or asses” on that sign, but the thought alone was enough to make me smile.

Then we have the friendly BIG BROTEHER warning that the ticket seller points to and says “Please read” followed by an “OK?” when you look back at her. 

We’re very sorry, but unfortunately people in the past have damaged the temple garden and columns by using cameras and photographic equipment, so we must ask all visitors to refrain from taking any photos or videos while visiting this temple. We hope that you will understand. We would like to remind you that the temple is under video surveillance”.

This is the same Temple that has loads of postcards and brochures and books for sale. Lots of crap, some stuff really old and unappealing. One beautiful book by a Kyoto photographer I like very much. While following the English description of the garden - describing every single rock in the garden (and there are many) every one just SO meaningful and important, the reader is reminded repeatedly of the tea ceremony costing I can’t remember - 1,000 yen? 1,500?

I quote from their brochure: If you would like to be served green tea while looking at this garden, please try to say “O-chao kudasai,” and you will have another unforgettable memory.

No thanks.

My memory of this place is of a garden under construction a few years ago, warning signs at the entrance saying more or less “What you really came to see is all covered with scaffolding and tarps and stuff. Wanna come pay and see it anyway? and I did. This time I got the surveillance warning. I guess I’ve seen it enough. It isn’t that great even in real life. Why?

Because the “masterpiece” is jammed full of rocks, and despite their meanings and oh-so-brilliant placement, they don’t actually look “right” in that small space. There’s even a Japanese/English sign here on the bridge saying NO ENTRY! to really spoil any beauty it might have. The photo above this rant is from my Art of the Japanese Garden book by David and Michiko Young. That will give you an idea of how stifling the composition is.

I don’t care if the garden was influenced by Chinese or Japanese ink drawings, I don’t care if it was created by the temple’s founder. I don’t care if it is over 500 years old. I’ve seen older, much better ones.

As Ja’mie King from “Summer Heights High” would say, “Sorry, but it’s true.”

That said, the rock congestion is all on that one side, and the larger gravel garden (probably south of the main hall, but my direction might be off) representing the great sea of the after-life is truly calming and beautiful, especially with those two cones of gravel.

For Chiara Bardelli who can appreciate the simple pleasures of life, like the beauty of stones and rocks. Thank you for making my gift-giving to you meaningful, memorable, and affordable! These rocks are part of the smallest rock garden in Kyoto, “Totekiko”, one of the five gardens of the Ryogen-in Zen Temple, founded by Priest “Tokei” in 1502. View high resolution

For Chiara Bardelli

who can appreciate the simple pleasures of life, like the beauty of stones and rocks. Thank you for making my gift-giving to you meaningful, memorable, and affordable!

These rocks are part of the smallest rock garden in Kyoto, “Totekiko”, one of the five gardens of the Ryogen-in Zen Temple, founded by Priest “Tokei” in 1502.

Canadian Embassy, Tokyo More on this later. View high resolution

Canadian Embassy, Tokyo

More on this later.