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Tag Archives: Japan

Japan

17 Wednesday Apr 2019

Posted by digwithdorris in Garden Visits, Uncategorized

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

cherry blossom, Garden Visits, Japan, pink, Sakura, street signs, Tokyo

I have just come back from a holiday in Japan, timed perfectly for the blossom season. Japan is a place I have always wanted to visit, perhaps thanks to anecdotes from Dad Dorris about his business trips in the early 1980s and certainly due to the gardens and a dash of ‘Lost in Translation’ as well.

We started in Tokyo Shinjuku-Ku district (above) where it was bitterly cold and grey. A smart district, clean and high rise. No street eating, drinking or smoking allowed. There’s a good idea Mrs May. We then moved to Kyoto for ten days. Further south, we used Kyoto as our base to visit Hiroshima and Miyajima. We then returned to a different area of Tokyo, Ikebukuro before returning home.

Before we set off my sister and I thought we might need to book a guide to help us navigate the city but in practice it was not needed at all. Destination signs on the metro and train network are helpfully translated into English and announcements are also given in English. At various times locals stopped to ask if they could help us find our way, one lady even leaving her place in the bus queue to help guide us. Without exception the locals were friendly, polite and happy to help.

We used taxis, metro, buses, trams, a ferry, the bullet and our feet, walking over 75!miles and it was fantastic. The bits we saw were fascinating. I can only describe the trip as like a weekend city break but for much longer, so not relaxing but completely absorbing and delightful and very exhausting!

You may not be surprised to learn that I have rather a lot of photographs of blossom and I have posted some of these Here already.

One thing I hadn’t anticipated was how much the Japanese embrace the blossom season. They party under the trees and merchandise is blossom themed.

Stationary, worthy of a post in its own right, food and sweet products, cola bottles, entrances to shops, all distinctly blossom themed.

The cleaning team waiting to go through the bullet train before departure. Actually this could be their uniform all the time but, you see my point.

Even the cars are blossom coloured. Ok may be I am getting carried away.

There are castles, temples and shrines to see and enjoy. The cities are densely built and high rise, full of convenience stores and vending machines and sushi bars and restaurants. There are neon lights, millions of people and I loved it all. Tokyo National Museum was fabulous, full of exquisite treasures, beautifully displayed. As I am no travel guide I do not intend to talk about any of these in detail other than to say that they are very interesting and fascinating and I wished I had time to see it all.

I shall share some pictures of the gardens another time but here are just a couple of the signs which amused me.

And finally

On that note, I shall sign off here. Thanks for reading. D.

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In a vase on Monday: tulip mania

15 Monday Apr 2019

Posted by digwithdorris in in a vase on Monday, Uncategorized

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

April, Avignon Parrot, Ballerina, Brown Sugar, cerinthe major purpurascens, in a vase on Monday, Japan, la Belle Époque, marmalade, origami, Queen of the Night, tulips

When I left for my trip away, the tulips were just beginning to bud. Two and a half weeks later they are in glorious technicolour.

Delicious marmalade colours in an old Dundee marmalade jar.

Cathy our host of IAVOM always manages to find props to accompany her vases which I rarely do. Today however I have added some origami swans, yes they are swans! The colours compliment the tulip colours and indicate where my trip was to.

Back to the flowers, the tulips are Ballerina, Brown sugar, Avignon Parrot all of which are scented. Belle Époque is the soft smoky pink one. Queen of the Night is the dark one.

Cerinthe has self sown and is flowering beautifully, such an accommodating flower, mixing well with the tulips.

That’s it for me today. Enjoy the short working week if you are lucky enough to have the Easter weekend off. D.

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Silent Sunday: Hanami

06 Saturday Apr 2019

Posted by digwithdorris in Silent Sunday

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

cherry blossom, Edo period, haiku poetry, Hanami, Japan, Matsuo Basho, Silent Sunday

(Cherry blossom gazing)

“how many, many things

they call to mind

these cherry-blossoms”

Matsuo Basho (1644 -1694)

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Six On Saturday: Sakura

06 Saturday Apr 2019

Posted by digwithdorris in six on saturday, Uncategorized

≈ 22 Comments

Tags

blossom time, Japan, Sakura, six on saturday, spring 2019

It is cherry blossom time in Japan. It is wonderful. These are my favourite views so far. I do not know the varieties and I have not grown these but I love them and hope you will enjoy me sharing them with The Propagator and you too.

A potted tree outside a doorway in Kyoto.

Not actually cherry at all but flowering and celebrated at the same time. Japanese quince.

Against a blue sky in Kyoto. Pink and dreamy.

At the Golden Pavilion these had just opened. Such a strong pink.

The florists are selling stems or twigs of blossoms. This arrangement was in a shop entrance.

White blossoms against freshly opened Acer foliage.

Imagine how gorgeous the blossoms are and then know that the Japanese have blossoms on all their products including cola, stationary, sweets.

Joyful.

Have a great week. D.

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In a vase on Monday: ikebana

31 Sunday Mar 2019

Posted by digwithdorris in in a vase on Monday

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Hiroki Maeno, ikebana, in a vase on Monday, Japan

In the hotel reception this glorious and ginormous arrangement appeared. A combination of blossom branches, just beginning to flower and the strikingly bright, coloured twigs. I really liked the boldness of the painted twigs set amongst the dainty and pretty blossom branches.

Created by Hiroki Maeno artist (born 1970) Master instructor of the Sogetsu school.

A skilful arrangement described by those who know as transcending the boundaries of ikebana.

Pleased to share this with you and Cathy.

I am certain I could not create such a skilful arrangement or anything remotely of this scale and anyway it would not fit through the front door. That said, I love the use of brightly coloured twigs and blossom branches.

Have a great week wherever you are. D.

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Silent Sunday: Sakura

31 Sunday Mar 2019

Posted by digwithdorris in Silent Sunday

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

blossom celebrations, cherry blossom, Japan, March, Sakura, Silent Sunday, Tokyo

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