Nature | TATE: The Diary of a Japanese Man

2023-04-09

The cherry blossoms are beautiful, but that isn’t all

The Imperial Moat named Chidori-ga-fuchi is famous for its cherry blossoms (many of them are a popular type named, “Somei-yoshino”). One day, I took a walk around the moat. The cherry blossoms were starting to fall, and a flurry of cherry blossoms poured down like snow. I found a small information board in some bushes near the British Embassy in...

Nature

2022-12-25

Every time I go there, I imagine the Edo period

A large historical Japanese garden named “Koishikawa Korakuen” is located in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. When I go to the Hosho Noh Theater, I sometimes drop by that garden. The lush, green garden and birds singing always make me forget that I’m in the middle of a metropolis. Every time I go there, I imagine the Edo period. Old Tokyo, which was...

Nature

2022-08-14

Asagao makes my days happy

Asagao is a typical Japanese flower. Asagao blooms in the early morning from summer through early autumn. I look forward to seeing Asagao in my garden every year. Asagao is easy to grow in a pot, so even a child can do it. Many Japanese elementary schools make students grow Asagao as part of their school education. When I was...

Nature

2022-06-04

“Soumoku Jobtsu” is particular to Japanese Buddhism

“Soumoku Jobtsu” is a Buddhistic thought that plants can be spiritually awakened and attain Buddhahood. It means that plants have hearts like humans. Japanese Buddhism had patterned itself after Chinese Buddhism. However, “Soumoku Jobtsu” isn’t found in Chinese Buddhist literature. It is the same with Indian Buddhist literature. “Soumoku Jobtsu” is particular to Japanese Buddhism. This thought became controversial in...

Nature

2022-04-10

I think that “Shiroyamazakura” is the most beautiful type of Sakura

We Japanese call cherry blossoms, including cherry trees, “Sakura” in Japanese. “Someiyoshino” is the most common type of cherry tree in Japan. Today, Someiyoshino has become a synonym for Sakura. For your information, in 1912, Tokyo gifted 3,000 cherry blossom trees to Washington DC, and they were Someiyoshino. Someiyoshino is a symbol of Japan. However, I have been starting to...

Nature

Category: Nature

The cherry blossoms are beautiful, but that isn’t all

Every time I go there, I imagine the Edo period

Asagao makes my days happy

“Soumoku Jobtsu” is particular to Japanese Buddhism

I think that “Shiroyamazakura” is the most beautiful type of Sakura