The damp weather of June heralds the blooms of not only the Iris but also the Ajisai, or Hydrangea, which pop up everywhere and are a well know symbol of the rainy season in Japan.  In my neighborhood the plump blooms line my route to the train station and festivals and special events are held in parks and shrines to celebrate the season across Japan.

Meigetsu-in

This temple in Kamakura is famous for more that 20,000 ajisai blooms that line the pathways around the temple each year during rainy season and is even nicknamed “Ajisai-dera” or Hydrangea Temple by the locals.

Meigetsu-in Temple is located about 10 minutes on foot from Kita-Kamakura Station (Admission is Y300).  The temple is quite bust on weekends so visti during the week if you can fit it into your schedule.

Bunkyo Ajisai Matsuri

Held at Hakusan Shrine in the Bunkyo Ajisai Festival runs through June 14th and offers visitors musical accompaniment to their stroll past some 3,000 hydrangea plants in full bloom from 11AM – 5PM on weekends.

Located one minute on foot from the Toei Mita Subway Line Hakusan Station or three minutes on foot from the Namboku Subway Line Hon-Komagome Station. (Hakusan Shrine Access map)

Kyu-Furukawa Gardens

A lovely garden anytime of the year, the Kyu-Furukawa Gardens in Tokyo’s Kita ward has both western gardens and a path that meanders around a pond and through a traditional Japanese garden.  The park was declared a cultural property of Tokyo in 1982 and is also home to a western style home built in the late 1800’s pictured below.

The rainy season is scheduled to last until mid-July in Tokyo and the end marks the beginning of a hot and humid summer.  The ajisai blooms won’t last that long so take some time to get out and enjoy them while you still can.

Image Credit:  Flickr, Kamakura & personal collection

Banryutei Rock Garden

Image Credit: Flickr, Zen garden / Koya San

The Banryutei Rock Garden (pictured above) is one of the largest gardens of its kind in Japan.  Located within the precincts of the  Koyasan Kongobuji in Wakayama prefecture (part of the Kansai Region of Japan) the garden encompasses more that 2,300 square meters of raked sand and strategically placed rocks that when viewed from a certain angle appear to be two dragons flying amongst the clouds.

Visit Welcome to Koyasan for information on the sights of the area as well as walking and audio guides.

Ginshadan – The Sea of Silver Sand

Image Credit: Flickr, Zen Garden

Located in front of the Abbots quarters (hojo) on the grounds of Ginkakuji Temple in Kyoto  is an excellent example of a karesansui garden (dry garden) known as Ginshadan or the Sea of Silver Sand.  The Ginshandan consists of a two foot platform of sand that covers 0.71 hectares (1.75 acres) and is said to represent the sea.

Kogetsudai – The Moon Viewing Platform

Image Credit: Flickr, Grounds of Kinkaku-ji

The distinctive cone shaped mound pictured below is also located on the grounds of Ginkakuji Temple in Kyoto.  It reflects the light of the moon in the evenings and was meant to sit on while waiting for the moon to rise from the Higashiyama mountains.

Ryoan-ji Temple Rock Garden

Image Credit:  Flickr, Ryouanji Stones (竜安寺の石）

One of the most celebrated rock gardens in Japan, it is relatively small with only fifteen stones sitting within a seas of pristinely rake white sand.  Located in the grounds of the Ryoan-ji Temple (also in Kyoto) the garden is enclosed by earthen walls and it is impossible to see all of the fifteen stones from any vantage point.

Hashin-tei

Image Credit:  Flickr, The zen rock garden at Kodai-ji

Originally a pond garden, Hashin-tei was redesigned as a karesansui dry garden and the undulating border of moss and stone was once its shoreline.  This garden is also located in Kyoto on the grounds of the Kodai-ji Temple.

Myoshin-ji Temple Gardens

Image Credit: Flickr, black sand and pink sakura

Myoshin-ji Temple itself and three other temples in Kyoto (Taizo-in Temple, Keishun-in Temple & Daishin-in Temple) are home to a number of beautiful Zen gardens that are well know throughout Japan.  The Taizo-in Temple is well known for features such as the karetaki (dry waterfall), horai-san (Sacred mountain), kamejima (island shaped like a turtle) and an ishibashi(stone bridge).

Rocks, raked sand and tranquility – it’s a combination that is well known and recognized worldwide as a Zen Garden.

“The best gardens in Japan incorporate aesthetics that are contradictory in nature but somehow complement each other when employed by a skillful designer”

The Art of The Japanese Garden offers further insight into the design features and qualities deemed essential in a well designed garden.  Be sure to include a visit to one or two gardens of different styles when you plan any trip to Japan – you won’t regret it!

Emperor Meiji (1852-1912) commissioned the garden for his wife, Empress Shoken (1850-1914) and the two are said to have spent a lot of time relaxing, fishing and even writing waka (Japanese poetry) in the garden.

Benches dot the garden’s paths and are a great way to rest your feet and take in the different and lovely views seemingly around every bend of this and most other well designed Japanese gardens.  A tea house overlooking a fishing pond and a rest pavilion where you can purchase snacks and drinks can also be found in this beautiful garden.

The Meiji Jingu Iris Garden, located within a 175 acre forested area in central Tokyo, is a lovely place for a stroll anytime of the year but is best seen when the irises are in full bloom. As you wander about you will find it hard to imagine that you are in the middle of the bustling metropolis of Tokyo.  It’s one of my favorite places in Japan!

The garden is open daily from 8AM to 5PM ( 6PM on Saturdays & Sundays) and is easily accessed from either Harajuku Station (Yamanote Line) or Tokyo Metro Meiji-Jingumae Station . Admission is Y500 for adults. (Meiji Jingu Access Map)

Image Credit:  Flicrk, crw_5646

We rented our swan boat during the peak cherry blossom viewing season which offered a break from the crowds admiring the quintessential Japanese blooms and obscuring almost every walkway.  Our float around the pond provided some relaxation and great views of the cherry blossoms!

If you aren’t floating away a half hour in a swan, you can rent a more nondescript pedal-powered boat, or go for the traditional row boat like the couple below.

Looks romantic doesn’t it?  I wouldn’t know – I was in a swan with my mother-in-law sitting between my husband and I…

I still can’t think of a better way to relax on a sunny spring afternoon during cherry blossom season in Japan, can you?

Shinobazu Pond Boat Rental

Take the Shinobazu exit from JR Ueno station and take the short stroll to the east side of Shinobazu Pond.  Take the bridge to Benzaiten Temple and continue past the the temple and across another bridge to the rental boat dock. Ueno Map (PDF)

Cost: Y600 – 700 for 30 minutes depending on which vessel you choose.
Hours:  Daily from 9:30AM – 5PM

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

In his own words:

“One afternoon during Hana-mi (Cherry Blossom Viewing season) My wife took me along a river that is near our home. Little did I know that this river would meander through this perfect little paradise.

Negawa is the stream between Koushu kaido and Tamagawa that runs along the north of Tachikawa Sports Park which is a baseball stadium.  To get there you can take the JR Chuo line and transfer to the Tama Toshi Monorail Line.  Get off at the Shibasaki-Taiikukan Station (one stop from Tachikawa-minami) and walk right (west) or left (east towards Kunitachi) along the river. This picture was taken on the east side.

I hope your readers enjoy the picture and I hope some of them actually take the time to go there. They will not be let down. It’s actually 10 times more beautiful in real life.

Here is a Google Map of the Negawa Stream in Tachikawa (in Japanese)”

See more of TokyoDan’s photos of Negawa Stream or visit his website, TokyoDan.com.

This and other great images of Japan can be found in The Nihon Sun Japan Photo Gallery.

Just last Saturday, I made my first visit to Shinjuku Gyoen and found the spring flowers of Japan starting to bloom.  The grass hadn’t even turned green but  photographers surrounded the few cherry blossom trees that had overcome the cool spring weather to show their delicate pink  blooms.

This lovely young Japanese woman was having her picture taken in front of the Old Imperial Rest House (Shinjuku Gyoen map) in the park and was dressed in a kimono decorated with waves of sakura (cherry blossoms) along the base and sleeves.  She completed her traditional attire with a gold obi and added a modern touch with flowers in her soft flowing curls.

Despite the weather, a few people were relaxing and enjoying bento (boxed lunches) in the park.  The couple below chose a perfect spot to ponder the cherry blossoms don’t you think?

I enjoyed my stroll through the Shinjuku Gyoen and found it to be an oasis of calm in a very busy part of Tokyo.  The cherry blossoms and the young woman in the kimono were a bonus…

The best way to celebrate the flowers of spring in Japan is to head out to a local park or garden for a stroll or a picnic – it’s a popular pastime so be prepared for crowds!

Below are some of the flowers of spring and some of the best places to enjoy them in Japan.

Cherry Blossoms (Sakura)

The 2009 cherry blossom forecast (site in Japanese) indicates that the sakura (cherry blossoms) will start blooming in Okinawa around March 20th, in Tokyo in the 25th, and in Hokkaido by April 20th.   The life of the cherry blossoms is short, only about five to twelve days, so you need to act fast and plan well to take in these blooms at their peak.

With over 1,500 trees, Goryokaku Park in Hokkaido is a beautiful spot for a hanami party (cherry blossom viewing) as are Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and Ueno Park in Tokyo.  Be sure to check out the 15 best places to see the cherry blossoms in Japan to take in these iconic Japanese blooms at their best.

Plum or Apricot Blossoms (Ume)

Did you know that during the Nara period (8th century), the blossom of the ume tree was preferred over the cherry blossom?  The sakura blossom didn’t overcome the popularity of the ume blossom until the Heian period (794-1185).

Ume blossoms can range in color from almost white to a bright pink and are often mistaken for cherry blossoms.

The fruit of the ume tree, the Japanese plum is considered good luck in Japan, that is if you eat one each morning! It’s just one of the common superstitions in Japan.

Take in the Yushima Ume Matsuri in Tokyo until March 8th or the Yugawara Ume Matsuri until March 15th in Kanagawa.

Peach Blossoms (Momo)

The peach holds a special place in the hearts of the Japanese is said to be useful in driving away evil.  This concept is the basis for the popular folk tale Momotaro, where a young boy is found floating in a giant peach and grows up to defeat demons.

See a multitude of peach trees at Togenkyo in Wakayama prefecture.

A visit to Japan’s parks and gardens is always an pleasurable experience but one that definitely shouldn’t be missed in spring.  Be sure to peruse our guide to the regions of Japan to find beautiful parks and gardens that you can fit into your itinerary.

Image Credit:  Personal Collection & Flickr, Peach Blossom

Kushiro-shitsugen in Hokkaido was Japan’s first Ramsar site and is a habitat for endangered Japanese cranes (pictured below).   Ramsar sites in Japan include habitats for waterfowl along with marshlands, lakes, salt marshes, tidal flats, seagrass & seaweed beds, beaches, mangrove forests, and groundwater systems.

To date Japan has thirty-three Ramsar Convention Protected Wetlands (many of which are part of Japan’s National Park System) as follows:

Nagura Amparu
Kerama-shoto Coral Reef
Manko
Yakushima Nagata-hama
Imuta-ike
Kuju Bogatsuru and Tadewara-shitsugen
Akiyoshidai Groundwater System
Shinji-ko
Nakaumi
Kushimoto Coral Communities (top right)
Biwa-ko (bottom right)
Mikata-goko
Katano-kamoike
Fujimae-Higata
Yatsu-higata
Oze
Oku-Nikko-shitsugen
Sakata
Kabukuri-numa and the surrounding rice paddies
Izu-numa and Uchi-numa
Hotokenuma
Miyajima-numa
Uryunuma-shitsugen
Sarobetsu-genya
Kutcharo-ko
Tofutsu-ko
Utonai-ko
Kushiro-shitsugen
Akkeshi-ko and Bekambeushi-shitsugen
Kiritappu-shitsugen
Akan-ko
Furen-ko and Shunkuni-tai
Notsuke-hanto and Notsuke-wan

Source: Japan Ministry of the Environment, Ramsar Sites in Japan Poster (PDF)

To search the list of important wetlands in Japan by region, including the Ramsar sites visits the Sizenken website or download PDF pamphlets for each Ramsar Site in Japan.

The Internet Nature Information Center offers beautiful live images of wildlife and natural sites in Japan, many of which are included in the Ramsar listing above.  The site is well worth browsing around if you would like to include one of these sites on your itinerary or if you just want to see some of the natural beauty that Japan has to offer.

Image Credit: Flickr,Crane at Kushiro, Lake Biwa & Coral

In his own words:

“For we weekend mountaineers, time is precious; I’d climbed through the night on Friday from Shin-Hotaka, Nagano, to the ridge below Mt Kasa-ga-take under a starry sky, but already wisps of clouds were racing across the stratosphere. After a quick bivouac for a few hours I started out again into a blazing red sunrise, but already the first few drops of rain were falling. By mid morning I was climbing through a late summer storm, making the summits of both Mt Suisho-dake and Mt Washiba. From each I’d gazed out through the driving rain, trying to imagine the breathtaking panoramas that are supposed to be the reserve of those who made it to those lofty peaks.

Having given up hope, I started down the mountain to find somewhere to camp for the night, when the rain lifted for a few brief moments before sunset. The entire valley appeared, and in the distance, in the midst of those swirling clouds, rose Mt Yari-ga-take, the perfect spear that its name suggests.

It was as unexpected as it was memorable. Suddenly my wet boots and the prospect of another chilly night on the mountain didn’t seem so bad after all.”

Read more about Chris’s mountainous adventures in Japan on his blog  i,cjw – hiking and climbing in japan and see more fabulous photos from this trip in his article “Into the Mist“.  Chris was also recently featured in an interview at 7:10 to Tokyo where he shares what he loves about Tokyo along with some interesting tales on mountaineering and a close call with the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia).

This and other great images of Japan can be found in The Nihon Sun Japan Photo Gallery.

The best gardens in Japan incorporate aesthetics that are contradictory in nature but somehow complement each other when employed by a skillful designer.   Ancient texts describe the following six qualities as essential components of a well designed garden.

Spaciousness & Tranquility

Many Japanese gardens encompass large areas and are naturally spacious but smaller, more intimate, gardens can also have a feeling of spaciousness when well laid out.  The placement of paths, water features, rocks, trees and and shrubs can create the illusion of a larger space to visitors.

Tranquil oasis’ can be found in the nooks and crannies created by the paths that meander through well designed Japanese gardens. A stroll along the path make take you past a secluded nook where a lovely stone lantern is surrounded by Japanese pine trees and further on, around a slight curve, you will have an impressive view of an island in the center of a graceful pond.  Still later, and on the same path, you may run across a rest house or tea house tucked away that beckons you to a seat or allows you to imagine a simpler time when kimono clad women were entertained by sword wielding samurai.

Artifice & Antiquity

Man is responsible for the creation of Japanese gardens and they should not be regarded as feats of nature.   The skillful manipulation of a natural site creates a world unto itself and although they are man-made, the best gardens have a very natural appearance.

An air of antiquity is established by the use of weathered rocks and aged trees that are carefully manicured.  Many of the gardens in Japan have been in place for centuries and have an authentic air of antiquity but it should be remembered that this sense of age was there from the beginning and has only been improved upon by Mother Nature.

Water-Courses & Panoramas

Like in nature, the water in a Japanese garden is found at the lowest point on the site, or in the case of streams, meanders down from the artificial hills, through the forest to a central pond.  The garden path offers a variety of wonderful vantages points upon which to gaze upon the central pond.

A well designed Japanese garden creates famous panoramas in miniature for visitors to behold.  You need to take your imagination with you when you wander amidst the hills, forests, streams and ponds of a Japanese landscape garden.   Atop one of the artificial hills you may feel as if you are enjoying the view of a large lake after a long day of trekking up one of Japan’s famous mountains.   The ancient gardens of Japan were designed as a way for local nobility to relive their travels to far-away and famous destinations in Japan.  While the shinkansen from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji may only take a few hours today, in ancient Japan the trip was long and arduous and only made by the most wealthy and powerful people and their retainers.

Types of Japanese Gardens

Tsukiyama Gardens employ artifical hills, water features, meandering paths and a variety of vegetation and flora to recreate famous landscapes in Japan.

Karesansui Gardens are rock gardens, or dry gardens, that utilize stones, gravel, sand and moss to represent mountains, islands, boats, seas and rivers.  These gardens have been influenced by Zen Buddhism and are considered ideal spots for meditation.

Chaniwa Gardens are gardens specifically built for the tea ceremony and are often very simple designed in line with the practices of the tea ceremony itself.  Stepping stones leading up to a tea house and the use of stone lanterns are common features in Chaniwa Gardens.

Kaiyu-shiki, or strolling gardens,  make the most of the garden path by panning it such that visitors are presented with unique views of the garden at various points along their journey.

To learn more about the art and beauty of the Japanese garden, take some time to read the visit Japanese Garden fact sheet (PDF) created by Web-Japan that offer historical information and elaborates on the different types of gardens listed above.

Almost every prefecture or city in Japan has its own garden. JGarden has a search engine that will help you find a garden close to where you live, in Japan, or elsewhere in the world.

Image Credit:  Personal Collection