The last day of my trip. On Sunday night we finished the tsuboniwa at the Mamezen Ramen shop in Kyoto (豆禅). I woke up early this morning to take some pictures of the garden - here is one of them, there are more to come: Mamezen owner and Yuba-Ramen chef Minoru Yonekawa: The … Continue reading Day 89 – Kyoto has a new garden
Life
Day 38 – The cutest bamboo fence I have ever seen – Yotsumegaki (よツ目垣)
Everything in Japan has a kawaii version, I guess. This is a miniature version of the popular Yotsume-gaki bamboo fence and it is used to mark a water faucet. I have to add this to our Real Japanese garden e-Book about bamboo fences.
Day 30 – When the crowds are gone – After hours in Kodai-ji
The spring season special opening (春特別拝観) with extended hours and a beautiful light-up of the garden is ended yesterday at the last day of the official Golden Week. I experienced the garden today for the first time without visitors and was amazed by the atmosphere. Even the staff was gone while I did my last … Continue reading Day 30 – When the crowds are gone – After hours in Kodai-ji
Day 25 – Planting moss and the mountains of Kyoto
After a day of working in heavy rain, a colleague and I climbed up the mountain behind the temple, just above the tea houses Kasa-tei (傘亭) and Shigure-tei (時雨亭). Kasa means umbrella and shigure means drizzle or autumn rain and is written with the kanji for "time" and "rain". Very poetic, I find. Both tea … Continue reading Day 25 – Planting moss and the mountains of Kyoto
Day 26 – Building a itabei
The head gardener and I built the frame for a wooden fence (itabei - 板塀) in a restaurant. The existing dobei (土塀), the traditional earthen wall has gotten weak and is crumbling, which gives us a great view into the construction of it. A frame is built with wooden posts and a grid of slices … Continue reading Day 26 – Building a itabei
Kaki-Shibu – 柿渋
I love Kyoto because it is the center for traditional craftsmanship in Japan. Over centuries, emperors, shoguns, religious and political leaders and tradesmen have lived here in beautiful houses and gardens, have held sophisticated parties and indulged in lavish banquets. They have invested in the beauty of Japan – sophisticated craftsmanship, a sense for balance … Continue reading Kaki-Shibu – 柿渋
Declared goal: Pack light
I will test-pack today. I started to aim for minimalism when I first moved to Japan in 2010. We cleared out our flat, so everything except for very few precious memories had to go. I freecycled a lot in preparation for the trip. Since then moving countries and homes kept me from accumulating a lot of … Continue reading Declared goal: Pack light
Wax-on, Wax-off. Repeat until proficient in garden maintenance and/or Karate
Getting in the right mind set with Karate Kid. I watched this classic for the first time. My advice: Skip the first 15 minutes (Kid gets beaten up 3 times) and watch from where the fun begins. Wax-on, Wax-off. Repeat until proficient in garden maintenance and/or Karate. Mr. Miyagi is surprisingly funny. And I although I hear … Continue reading Wax-on, Wax-off. Repeat until proficient in garden maintenance and/or Karate
No expectations
I bought my flight ticket and am leaving in two weeks. Now it has become a real thing. I have been dreaming and thinking about this endeavor for about a year now and the time has finally come. Of course, my mind is full of expectations, I ask myself how things will be like, where … Continue reading No expectations
90 Days in Kyoto 