FROM THE GARDEN OF ZEN: 2024

July 22, 2024

Ajisai (hydrangea) flowers: Kencho-ji

Ajisai (hydrangea) has large oval leaves and clusters of four-petaled flowers that form colorful spherical shapes like the shape of Temari (Japanese toy handball). The countless ball-like flowers continually keep changing their colors from pale green to purple, blue or red, due to the subtle interaction between their pigments and the rainwater.

Ajisai flower has been traditionally cherished as a seasonal lovely flower and used as a design motif since the Heian period (794-1185), because of its vivid and precious appearance found in the melancholic rainy season.

In the Edo period (1603-1867), it was used as a typical pattern of gold brocade for Kiyomizu-ware and Kutani-ware potteries. Dohachi Ninnami and others, who were great artisans of Kyo yaki (Kyoto-style ceramics), used hydrangea flowers as a seasonal design of their tea-bowls used for early summer tea ceremonies.

Ajisai (hydrangea) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Ajisai (hydrangea) flowers: Kencho-ji

July 11, 2024

Suiren (water lily) flower: Kita-kamakura

As the height of spring approaches, the temperature and sunlight increase gradually, and all manner of living things awaken from their winter slumber one by one.

In accordance with their profound wisdom genetically built up over billions of years, various birds having kept silence resume their lively chirping for mating, fresh greenery grows thickly at a tremendous pace, and numerous flowers begin to successively bloom in a hurried manner.

Bright spring shows us the gorgeous celebration and festivity of the nature lives, which rapidly change in the blink of an eye. All living things must be fleeting in this world and every beautiful flower appears and disappears all too soon before my eyes.

In order to try to bear the vanishing memories of the ephemeral spring flowers in mind, I hereby leave an assortment of these lovely flowers on record.

Iwatabako (Conandron ramondiodes) flowers: Kita-kamakura

I never know why every flower is so extravagantly beautiful. If they were simply the plant organs for reproduction, they would not need to be so diverse and beautiful.

At times I imagine that some transcendental being, that had designed this earth's ecosystem and organisms long, long ago, created these exquisite flowers for her enjoyment like a sacred horticulturist.

The star-shaped violet flowers of the Iwatabako are blooming on the mossy rocky surfaces in the shade as if to let us know the secret arrival of the long-awaited spring in Kita-kamakura.

These small (1-2 cm in diameter) and fragile flowers symbolize the quiet and contemplative atmosphere of Kita-kamakura which may be filled with the tranquil spirituality of the old Zen temples.

They seem to bloom and fade away without any hesitation, while having nothing to do with the clamors and poisons of our earthy world.

Hanashobu (iris) flowers: Kaizo-ji

In the tradition of Japan, the iris flower has the auspicious meaning of victory or "Shobu" (triumphs over evil), and is associated with the wish to grow into a brave and strong samurai warrior.

There is also the legend that the slender leaf of iris look likes like the sharp bade of a japanese sword which enables a hero to slay any Oni (ogre) and demon. It is said that such a sward-like green leaf terrifies and exorcises all demolish spirits around us.

In the rainy season of late spring, iris opens its delicate and ephemeral flowers elegantly.

This plant has been believed to have the mystical power to ward off all evil spirits. In Japan, the annual Boys Day Festival of May 5th is called "Tango no sekku " which is also called “Iris Festival,” when people take Shobu-yu (bathwater with iris leaves) to pray their good fortune and health.

Hanashobu (iris) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Ajisai (hydrangea) flowers: Kamakura

The true virtue of the Ajisai (hydrangea) flower is its continuous and subtle changing of colors, which is caused by intricate and enigmatic chemistry of nature in the rainy season.

Ajisai plants soak up plenty of rainwater from the earth during the rainy season and show off their variety off flower colors, which reminds me of the magical shapes and colors of old French surrealist painters.

These flowers show red, blue, purple, and other mixed colors, and the base of these colors is the pigment called anthocyanin.

Anthocyanin is normally red, but when it reacts with the aluminum absorbed in the rainy soil, it changes to blue by chemical reaction. Therefore, Ajisai flowers that absorb a lot of aluminum are blue, those that do not absorb aluminum are red, and those in between are purple.

In Japan, Ajisai flowers are also called "Shichi-henge" which means "seven quick changes of clothes." This naming comes from the traditional Kabuki dance in which the star actor quickly changes his beautiful clothes seven times in the highlight scene.

Ajisai ( hydrangea) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Yamayuri (gold-banded lily) flowers: Kamakura

Hanashobu (iris) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Ajisai (hydrangea) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Hanakaido (Halls crabapple) flowers: Kaizo-ji

Hangesho (Chinese lizard's tail) and water lily flowers: Kaizo-ji

Bamboo grove: Kencho-ji

Hanashobu (iris) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura City)

Gettou (Alpinia zerumbet) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura City)

Shakunage (Rhododendron) flowers: Ofuna Flower Center (Kamakura City)

Himejyon ( Erigeron annuus) flowers: Kita-kamakura

June 18, 2024

Pond garden: Chishaku-in Temple (Kyoto)

The first time in half a year, I visited Kyoto just after the lively Hanami (cherry‐blossom viewing) season.

Chishaku-in Temple is the head temple complex of the Chizan School of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism, which is located in Higashi-yama (eastern mountain) district of Kyoto.

This tranquil pond garden, that is beautifully composed of an artificial mountain, stone arrangements, and a deep-green winding pond, is said to represent the mystical landscape of Mount Lushan and the Yangtze River in China.

The Chozubachi (stone washbasin) placed on the edge of the eaves modestly emphasizes the refined perspective of this mountain-and-water landscape.

This garden in front of the Hojyo (large study hall) has been designated as one of the gardens of scenic beauty which Sen-no-Rikyu is said to have been particularly fond. Sen-no-Rikyu is known as the founder of Wabi-cha (hermitage tea ceremony) and is called the greatest tea saint.

This tasteful landscape takes advantage of the topography of the slope at the foot of the Higashi-yama of Kyoto.

The various greeneries and flowers, which are changing ceaselessly at every season, keep adorning this miniature landscape surrounded by the mirror-like surface of the water, which must symbolically reflect the ever-changing aspects of nature and the timeless flux of our human minds.

Pond garden: Chishaku-in Temple (Kyoto)

The droplets of water falling intermittently from the gaps in the stonework strike the tranquil surface of the pond water to continue creating faint sounds and ripples.

The subtle sounds of the water drops suddenly break the stillness of the garden and, like the sharp impact of "Kyosaku" (Zen stick) in Zen meditation, break the slumber of the our minds and awake us to the meaning of stillness again.

The intricately arranged beautiful stones of this garden must represent the magnificent appearance of the abrupt canyons deep in the mountains.

The stone is a symbol of eternity, which maintains its form forever without being affected by anything. At the same time, the stone keeps transforming bit by bit like a living creature, changing its figure from moment to moment under the ever-changing sunlight, rain, wind, and snow.

Pond garden: Chishaku-in Temple (Kyoto)

Higashiyama of Kyoto is famous for the beauty of the Mid-autumn Moon. When the autumnal equinox approaches, the bright full moon rises high above this pond garden and reflect its serene moonlight on the still surface of the water.

On such a moonlit night, this narrow stone bridge over the pond would lead us to the island mountain, which is faintly illuminated by the clear moon and the twinkling light of the stone lantern.

This artificial mountain may symbolically represent Hourai island (Mount Penglai) which is the enchanted island of perpetual youth in Chinese mythology.

Pond garden: Chishaku-in Temple (Kyoto)

Pond garden: Sanjusangen-do Temple (Kyoto)

The golden yellow flowers of Yamabuki (Japanese rose) are quietly reflecting in the dark green pond that spreads out in front of the fresh vermilion cloister.

The pale pink blossoms of the weeping cherry are subtly swaying in the mild breeze as if to try to gently touch the stone arrangement which may symbolize the classic Shaka triad (a group of 3 Buddhist images composed of Shaka Nyorai flanked with 2 boddhisatvas).

What characterizes this graceful garden is thought to be the well-selected garden-rocks arranged artfully around the pond.

The garden, which has been recently restored, is based on the classical landscape gardening design, while at the same time it skillfully incorporate a certain modern expression that suggests the aesthetic sense common with contemporary sculptures.

Yae-zakura flowers: Sanjusangen-do Temple (Kyoto)

Sanjusangen-do Temple (hall) is renowned for the 1001 gilded images of Senju Kannon (thousand-armed bodhisattva of divine mercy) enshrined within it.

Kannon in Mahayana Buddhism is the young saint who remains in the human world as a Nirvana Buddha in order to compassionately save people and all living things from all kinds of suffering in this world.

The thousand-armed bodhisattva has the thousand arms for relieving a thousand kinds of pains and agonies in this world.

This temple is located in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto and is the prestigious Buddhist temple of the Tendai sect.

It was founded in 1164 by shogun Taira-no-Kiyomori for the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa. It is officially known as Rengeo-in Temple (lotus-king temple) and belongs to the Myoho-in (lotus-sutra temple) complex.

Pond garden: Sanjusangen-do Temple (Kyoto)

Ariake zakura flowers: Sanjusangen-do Temple (Kyoto)

Ariake zakura flowers: Sanzen-in Temple (Kyoto)

Chokusimon-gate: Ninnaji Temple (Kyoto)

I visited Ninna-ji Temple to enjoy the Omuro-zakura cherry blossoms for the first time in a while year.

This abnormally warm winter has significantly accelerated the blooming of the Sakura trees. Although they are ordinarily in full bloom during this period, unfortunately a majority of the pale pink blossoms have fallen and gone just before I arrived.

The Omuro cherry blossoms in their sudden waning stage made me keenly aware of the uncertainty and transience of this floating world.

This elaborate gate is the imperial envoy gate to the south garden of the Shiro-shoin (white reception building) of the Shinden (emperor palace) complex.

This gate indicates the Shikyaku-mon (four-legged gate) style with a gabled gable roof on the side with a cypress bark roof. The walls and doorways are covered with admirable wood carvings of the auspicious designs of water chestnuts, phoenixes, arabesques, and other motifs.

This temple is the prestigious "Monzeki" temple whose head priests were members of the Imperial family through the ages as the head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. It was founded by Emperor Uda in the end of 9th century, and was reconstructed in the 17th century.

Chokusimon-gate: Ninnaji Temple (Kyoto)

Fallen petals: Ninnaji Temple (Kyoto)

North garden: Ninnaji Temple (Kyoto)

The Ninna-ji Imperial Palace Garden is the garden originally created in the mid-Edo period and renovated by "Ueji" Ogawa Jihei VII (1860-1933) during the reconstruction of the Shoin and Shinden (the emperor's former residence and the head temple of the Shingon sect of Buddhism).

Ueji (his common name) is the most renowned landscape architect representing the modern era of Japan, who created many notable Japanese gardens during the Meiji and Taisho periods.

The Ninna-ji Palace Garden consists of two gardens, that is " Minami-niwa" (the south garden) and "Kita-niwa" (the north garden). There is also a courtyard with beautiful moss and autumn leaves. The pond has a waterfall stone structure, and water cascades down with calm sound.

The landscape of these gardens is gracefully composed of the large pond with a stone bridge in the center facing the Shinden, the old tea houses on the slope behind it, the area of white sand, the beautiful Chokushi-mon gate, and the five-story pagoda outside the garden.