Niwaki et Niwashi – Page 3 – Le blog de l'Ermitage KOMATSU-AN et du Jardin guérisseur SHIZEN NO SEI

Creation, maintenance and tips for my Japanese garden/Techniques of niwaki/Our health and inner realization through our garden - Niwatherapy©/Traditions and culture of Japan

SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR 2017 – Day 10

Posted on 16 November 2017 by Frédérique / 0 Comment

Beautiful rain and cool weather this morning, we head to the northeast of Kyoto with the coat and the umbrella for the rest of our initiatory journey, a bucolic day in the village of Ohara. I am starting to be a bit overdosed with a crowd, cars and various noises. What calm, what silence, what tranquility …

The day begins with the visit of a small temple and its garden, which I did not know yet … And in the rain, the Japanese gardens are even more extraordinary. As we enter the room, we are seized … it is as if the garden entered the house. I just love it !

It continues with an unmissable step in Japan, an experience not to be missed under any circumstances … we relax in the onsen to live the unique ritual of the hot traditional bath … in the rain ! It’s great !

Then, go to the big Ohara temple, Sanzen-in. Superb ! With more, a multitude of small streams and waterfalls at every detour, in any direction where the eye is … Everything I love !

Finally, a little pearl, as I prefer them … where we will be seduced once again by matcha tea. Served according to ceremonial, the drink relaxes and resources. We then remember the sensations experienced in this incredible Japanese nature.

For complete terms and conditions of this initiatory study tour about nature, niwaki and Japanese gardens SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR, visit the website dedicated to it.

Return to the city and see you tomorrow !

Creation, maintenance and tips for my Japanese garden/Techniques of niwaki/Our health and inner realization through our garden - Niwatherapy©/Traditions and culture of Japan

SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR 2017 – Day 9

Posted on 15 November 2017 by Frédérique / 0 Comment

A day always so mild and sunny today … we left for the West of the city, towards a district filled with nurseries. The opportunity to address a mini-conference on “niwaki cultivation”.

Then, we go for lunch in a small jewel nestled in the forest on the banks of the Hozu River, at the very tasty kaiseki cuisine. I love the assortment of autumn food and colors in harmony with the season … As for the view from the terrace …

We continue the day with a large temple garden and its pond, Tenryu-ji…

…to finish with the sumptuous and “small path that climbs and meanders in the mountain” Okochi Sanso. The walking, preceded by a tea matcha, sharpens the senses. Climbing the hill, I feel like I’m “at home”.

At the top, we discover the meanders of the Hozu River, with its mountains and deep valleys that intersect over its course. Wonderful !

For complete terms and conditions of this initiatory study tour about nature, niwaki and Japanese gardens SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR, visit the website dedicated to it.

See you tomorrow !

Creation, maintenance and tips for my Japanese garden/Techniques of niwaki/Our health and inner realization through our garden - Niwatherapy©/Traditions and culture of Japan

SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR 2017 – Day 8

Posted on 15 November 2017 by Frédérique / 0 Comment

We were expecting some rain tonight, but it did not come. No matter, we leave for East Kyoto and its moss gardens. As always, totally enchanting spaces …!

We start with a little pearl … All that I love!

We take a break in a small typical restaurant, then continue our walk in the beautiful, what do I say, sublime moss garden of Kokedera temple. The momiji reveal their fuchsia, orange, garnet pink ornaments … All the colors of Autumn coming. The ferns and mosses contrast with the barks of century-old cedars, with a strong odor of humus in the background with exhilarating properties. Everywhere, thick mosses encase trunks and rocks and make up soft plant sculptures … The perfect place for a mini-conference on the “moss cultivation”.

We end the day with a walk on the banks of the Hozu River, surrounded by the beautiful hills of Hirashiyama … I do not get tired!

For complete terms and conditions of this initiatory study tour about nature, niwaki and Japanese gardens SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR, visit the website dedicated to it.

See you tomorrow !

Creation, maintenance and tips for my Japanese garden/Techniques of niwaki/Our health and inner realization through our garden - Niwatherapy©/Traditions and culture of Japan

SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR 2017 – Day 7

Posted on 15 November 2017 by Frédérique / 0 Comment

Here we are again this morning in search of sublime tea gardens, theme of our 2017 study trip, an initiatory journey. We start with Toji-in …

We then have lunch in a very old traditional restaurant nestled among the temples and offering vegetarian zen cooking of Buddhist monks. A radiant weather allows us to settle outside. What happiness ! And the perfect time to address one of my lectures on the theme of “the Japanese Garden soul”.

We then go to the big Myoshin-ji complex to visit two more beautiful tea gardens and succumb again to the ritual of tasting a matcha tea in the setting sun.

For complete terms and conditions of this initiatory study tour about nature, niwaki and Japanese gardens SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR, visit the website dedicated to it.

See you tomorrow !

Creation, maintenance and tips for my Japanese garden/Techniques of niwaki/Our health and inner realization through our garden - Niwatherapy©/Traditions and culture of Japan

SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR 2017 – Day 6

Posted on 15 November 2017 by Frédérique / 0 Comment

After these few days of visits followed by this little break, an evidence suddenly hits my mind! The Japanese gardens are definitely for me a journey to the serenity of the soul, the eternal fusion with reflections of nature, where we are able to feel our own fragility …

Therefore, with more joy still, by this beautiful and sweet sunny day of Indian summer announced, we take the road of North-East of Kyoto, to start precisely by a pearl as I adore them .. Unknown to Westerners, but acclaimed by the Japanese !

We continue this journey by another pearl, Renge-ji …

After a succulent and invigorating teppanyaki (Japanese grilled meat), then the flavor of a good matcha tea, we admire a collection of more adorable tea houses the ones that the others, snuggled in the middle of a garden a little wild with the surranned charm, discovered last year. Sublime!

And we end the day with another garden, with a small pines and maples forest to die for…

For complete terms and conditions of this initiatory study tour about nature, niwaki and Japanese gardens SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR, visit the website dedicated to it.

Creation, maintenance and tips for my Japanese garden/Techniques of niwaki/Our health and inner realization through our garden - Niwatherapy©/Traditions and culture of Japan

SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR 2017 – Day 5

Posted on 14 November 2017 by Frédérique / 0 Comment

Today, same pleasant day of Indian summer, with free time and shopping for those who wish it …

In the meantime, someone else is still working and is resting a little bit ! Before nap, head to Obai-in for a photo and video shoot !

We find ourselves at the end of the afternoon, for a night ride under the pines and maples, between buildings in pure style sukiya … What a wonder ….

Another atmosphere compared to a day visit. Inescapable ! ….

And we end the evening with a dinner in a very old and beautiful traditional restaurant composed only of private rooms. It’s as if we still hear the rustle of the silk kimonos of geiko …

For complete terms and conditions of this initiatory study tour about nature, niwaki and Japanese gardens SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR, visit the website dedicated to it.

See you tomrrow !…

Creation, maintenance and tips for my Japanese garden/Techniques of niwaki/Our health and inner realization through our garden - Niwatherapy©/Traditions and culture of Japan

SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR 2017 – Day 4

Posted on 14 November 2017 by Frédérique / 0 Comment

We take the road this morning with a mild and sunny weather, to go to the big Daitoku-ji complex. We make a stop on the way, to meet a brilliant Japanese artist (no pun intended!) working the gold leaf, Noguchi san, who introduces us to his art and makes us visit his magnificent machiya and his different tsuboniwa, built by his grandfather.

After a very nice lunch in an old bathroom converted into a restaurant, we go to Daitoku-ji …

… to visit first my favorite dry garden, Zuiho-in…

… to continue by the visit of Daisen-in temple…

… and end the day with an exceptional opening, a chaniwa with many tea houses.

For complete terms and conditions of this initiatory study tour about nature, niwaki and Japanese gardens SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR, visit the website dedicated to it.

See you soon !

Creation, maintenance and tips for my Japanese garden/Techniques of niwaki/Our health and inner realization through our garden - Niwatherapy©/Traditions and culture of Japan

SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR 2017 – Day 3

Posted on 14 November 2017 by Frédérique / 0 Comment

This morning, the good weather is also at the rendezvous, and we leave towards the East of Kyoto to discover two beautiful little known gardens, the former, designed by the famous garden master Jihei Ogawa (1860-1933) and the other, more contemporary, designed by his son.

Then we leave for lunch in a very old restaurant, offering fine zen vegetarian cuisine, typical menu of Buddhist monks.

After this delicious lunch, we head to the huge Kennin-ji temple and its gardens …

… then to the famous garden of Kodai-ji temple …

… to end the afternoon in this picturesque neighborhood of Gion and its charming little streets, typical of the city of Kyoto, with a passage to the tea room with a koi basin of great price. We enjoy a matcha ice cream accompanied by mashed red beans and a roasted tea. I just love it !

For complete terms and conditions of this initiatory study tour about nature, niwaki and Japanese gardens SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR, visit the website dedicated to it.

See you soon !

Creation, maintenance and tips for my Japanese garden/Techniques of niwaki/Our health and inner realization through our garden - Niwatherapy©/Traditions and culture of Japan

SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR 2017- Day 2

Posted on 14 November 2017 by Frédérique / 0 Comment

After a good night’s sleep, we start on the right foot to discover real treasures, great classics, with a magnificent light that promises a beautiful sunny day today.
Head northwest of Kyoto with quintessential pond, dotted with islands, themselves populated by niwaki pines, with gogan arrangements of all beauty … Only small shadow on the board, the crowd bath!

We continue with the pinnacle of karesansui, accompanied by one of my lectures on the theme “the myth of the Zen Garden”.

We also discover another large temple garden, very relaxing, a maze of corridors surrounding tsuboniwa all more beautiful than each other, and two small ponds lined with pines. This visit also gives us the chance to observe the gardeners at work for the momiage – the removal of needles before winter.

What happiness…!

For complete terms and conditions of this initiatory study tour about nature, niwaki and Japanese gardens SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR, visit the website dedicated to it.

Our health and inner realization through our garden - Niwatherapy©/Traditions and culture of Japan/Testimony of gardeners

SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR 2017 – Day 1

Posted on 2 November 2017 by Frédérique / 0 Comment

October 30, 2017. Here we are ! This is the 1st day of the SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR 2017 – 5th edition, initiatory journey, and this year again, this study trip is part of the tea garden theme, chaniwa, also called roji.

A very fresh and windy weather today, 15°C, after the huge rain of yesterday, which offers us at times beautiful rays of light through heavy black clouds, as well as trees that start to change quickly from color following the big temperature differences of these last days … That happiness … !!!

Despite the throes of jet lag for the newcomers, we will do our little ritual walking in the Kyoto Imperial Park … with the group’s photo.

For complete terms and conditions of this initiatory study tour about nature, niwaki and Japanese gardens SPIRITUAL JAPAN NIWAKI TOUR, visit the website dedicated to it.

You will not perhaps have the course exactly in time, because my days are going to be extremely buzy this year, since this new opus is this time bilingual (French/English). It is still necessary that I sleep a little … Thank you in advance for your patience.