Fantastic private tours in Japan
Explore wonderful flower and history
Flower :
Cerasus ×kanzakura ‘Oh-kanzakura/ Cherry var. Oh-kanzakura/ オオカンザクラ 大寒桜
Cerasus spachiana ‘Pendula’/ Cherry var. Shidare-sakura/ シダレザクラ 枝垂桜
Cerasus × kanzakura ‘Kawazu-zakura’/ Cherry var. Kawazu-zakura/ カワヅサクラ 河津桜
Place & Date:
Ueno park, Tokyo 2025.03.19 東京 上野公園
#Cherry #Oh-kanzakura #Shidare-sakura #Kawazu-zakura #オオカンザクラ #シダレザクラ #カワヅサクラ #大寒桜 #枝垂桜 #河津桜 #上野公園
#Satsua
Flower :
Cerasus ×subhirtella ‘Takatoh-kohigan’ / Cherry variety Takatoh Kohigan/ タカトウコヒガン 高遠小彼岸
Cerasus campanulata ‘Yoko’/ Cherry var. Yoko/ ヨウコウサクラ 陽光桜
Cerasus x subhirtella ‘kohigan’/ Cherry var. Kohigan/コヒガン 小彼岸
Cerasus campanulata/ Taiwan cherry/ ヒカンザクラ 緋寒桜
Place & Date:
Shinjyuku gyoen garden, Tokyo 2025.03.19 東京 新宿御苑
#Cherry #Takatoh-kohigan #Yokocherry #Kohigancherry #Taiwancherry #タカトウコヒガン #ヨウコウサクラ #コヒガンサクラ #ヒカンザクラ #高遠小彼岸 #陽光 #小彼岸桜 #緋寒桜 #新宿御苑
#Satsua
Yesterday, I guided the people who are participating in JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) course to Hanegi Park in Setagaya and Gotokuji Temple, famous for its maneki-neko (beckoning cat). Japaanese apricot or ume blossoms are less well known than cherry blossoms, and there are few opportunities to see them overseas, but when JICA recruited participants for the tour, over 20 people applied, and the tour was divided into five groups. I was in charge of one of the groups and guided four people. The four people were from Vietnam, Egypt, and two from Kyrgyzstan, and most of them had never seen ume blossoms before.
In the ume plum garden, I tried to explain the history of ume blossoms, their develoipment from wild one, their fragrance, and how to enjoy the differences between the various varieties, so that they could learn as enjoyably as possible.
And since it was February 22nd, Cat Day in Japan, Gotokuji Temple was crowded with many people. Recently, the temple has become popular with foreigners, thanks to the cuteness of its maneki-neko (beckoning cat), and I explained the story behind how this temple became a maneki-neko temple, how it is different from a normal maneki-neko (it has its right paw raised, but it does not have a gold coin, so it is not directly inviting money), and how to properly handle maneki-neko. I also told the visitors not to immediately place the cat in the temple grounds after buying it, but to take it home with them and to be sure to return with it when their wish is granted, and we all prayed for their return to Japan and to this temple.
I have learned a lot from these tour guides, who are mostly volunteers, and I hope to be able to combine them well with regular tour guides and become a guide who can handle a wide range of needs. Most of the photos were taken during the site inspection.
Flower :
Cerasus × kanzakura ‘Satsuma-kanzakura’/ Cherry variety Satsuma-kanzakura/ サツマカンザクラ 薩摩寒桜
Cerasus ×kanzakura ‘Atami zakura’/ Cherry var. Atamizakura/ アタミザクラ 熱海桜
Cerasus × kanzakura ‘Kawazu-zakura’/ Cherry var. Kawazu-zakura/ カワヅサクラ 河津桜
Place & Date:
Shinjyuku gyoen garden, Tokyo 2025.02.19 東京 新宿御苑
Satsuma-kanzakura is considered a hybrid of Kanhizakura (Cerasus campanulata) and Yamazakura (C. jamasakura) and belong to Kanzakura group. There are several varieties of Kanzakura, but in Tokyo, along with Atamizakura, it is the variety that blooms the earliest, blooming about one week earlier than Kawazuzakura, popular early blooming variety in Tokyo.
The cherry variety hybred by “Kanzakura” or “Kanhizakura” (C. campanulata) which is local vriety in Taiwn or Okinawa and Yamazakura (C. jamasakura) in Westside Japan and planted in Atami almost 150 years ago. It is well known as one of the earliest blooming variety in Japan and also lasting blooming almost 1 month.In Atami, the Cherry Blossom Festival is held from January onwards, and these beloved cherry trees are planted all over the city, but in Tokyo there are not many opportunities to see them, and they are not as well known as the Kawazu cherry trees.
The large, pink Kawazu cherry blossoms are famous not only in Kawazu Town, Shizuoka Prefecture, where they originated, but throughout the Kanto region, where they bloom from early to mid-February, and cherry blossom festivals are held in various places. They are popular because their flowers are larger and fully open than the Kanhi-zakura (C. campanulata), blooming the same time.
Cherry #Satsumakanzakura #Atamizakura #Kawazu-zakura #sinnjyukugyoen #サツマカンザクラ #カワヅサクラ #アタミザクラ #薩摩寒桜 #熱海桜 #河津桜 #新宿御苑
Last weekend I hosted an observation event for Ume plum or Japanese apricot and other early spring plants at Koishikawa Korakuen Garden as an organizer as nature observation group in the Tokyo City Guide Club. I invited guides, not only knowledgeable about Ume blossoms and plants, but also about Koishikawa Korakuen Garden’s history, participants were able to hear a lot of interesting stories.
We were given a detailed explanation of the relationship between Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, which was the garden of the Mito clan’s upper residence in Tokyo, and Kairakuen Garden in Mito, which is famous as Ume blossom viewing spot. We also learned that for each plum blossom, the name of the variety can tell you to a certain extent what the shape of the flower and how it blooms, how to interpret the tree shape created by pruning, and how the shape of the flower changes even in one tree depending on the time of year it blooms, making our view of plum blossoms even more interesting.
I also learned a lot of eye-opening stories, such as the fact that the difference between Christmas camellia, which are about to end their season, and Japanese camellia Tsubaki, which are about to enter their peak season, can be easily understood from the perspective of Christmas camellia flowers, which are pollinated by insects, and Japanese camellia flowers, which are pollinated by birds. It seems that the plum blossoms are blooming and coming into full bloom late this year, so it looks like we’ll still be able to enjoy them.
Based on the results of observation workshop, I have also updated my ume plum or Japanese apricot encyclopedia page. Please take a look if you are interested.
I visited Gotokuji Temple, a famous temple, also known as a lucky cat temple that is the family temple of the Ii clan, who served as senior vassals of the Tokugawa clan of the Edo Shogunate. Long ago, when the Ii clan’s lord was passing in front of this temple, which was on the Ii clan’s territory, a cat beloved by the temple’s head priest beckoned him in, and thanks to this cat the lord was able to avoid being struck by lightning, and so the cat has been treasured as a beckoning cat that brings good fortune, along with the Kannon Bodhisattva.
Incidentally, Hikonyan, the mascot of Hikone Castle, the Ii clan’s castle, and the original mascot character, was designed based on Gotokuji Temple’s beckoning cat.
I visited Hanegi Park-Umegaoka and Gotokuji Temple in Setagaya to preview for a volunteer tour guide that I will be participating next week. There are about 60 varieties and 670 ume-plum or Japanese apricot trees planted on a small hill.
There are many different kinds of Japanese apricot trees, with brilliant scarlet, pink and pure white trees that point upwards or drooping, each with their own unique characteristics, and I never get bored of looking at them. It seems that the Japanese apricot trees are blooming a little late this year, but I still spent a relaxing early spring day watching Japanese white-eyes come to collect nectar from the early-blooming plum trees and seeing a slightly hazy view of Mt. Fuji beyond the plum branches.
I participated in a special tour for guide-interpreters on Kamakura’s Buddhist statues guided by Takakazu Kaneko, who has deep knowledge not only in Japanese religions but also in world religions including Muslum, and has visited more than 100 countries around the world as a tour guide specifically for remote areas.
After a lecture on the characteristics of Japanese Buddhism, especially Buddhism after the Kamakura period, when samurai acquired power comparing to emperor and aristocrats, we went to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. Until now, I had only seen Hachimangu Shrine as a Shinto “shrine,” but I learned that what we can see is different from the perspective of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism, Shinto-Buddhist separation, and Haibutsu-kishaku.
Then, at the Kamakura Museum of National Treasures in the shrine, we learned in detail how to view the Kamakura Buddhist statues (photography is prohibited inside the museum, so there are no photos of the statues).
Then, in the afternoon, we went to Hase Temple, famous for its Kannon statue, Avalokitesvara. Originally, the Eleven-Headed Kannon Bodhisattva represents the mercy of Amida Buddha and is a attendant of the Budha. Due to the temple’s origins, the Eleven-Headed Kannon Bodhisattvaa is the the principal image, but also we could learn about the diversity of Buddhist statues, including the 33 incarnations of Kannon Bodhisattva, his subordinate attendants, and the Seven Lucky Gods.
Finally, we ended the tour by looking at the famous Amida Buddha at Kotokuin Temple.
Even Buddhist statues that we think we are familiar with are even more enjoyable when viewed from different angles. The tour was also very meaningful, as the guide-interpreters who joined us had a high level of knowledge.
After participating in this tour, I have gained even more confidence in guiding people on Japanese religious places including Kamakura’s shrines, temples, and Buddhist statues.
Most of the photos were taken during a preliminary inspection before joining the tour.
Yesterday was my birthday, and I turned 65. Thank you all for the congratulatory messages on Facebook or other media. I would like to express my gratitude once again.Turning 60, Kanreki; according to the Chinese calendar, a combination of zodiac animals and cosmic elements that consists 60 years, and the 60th birthday marks the one cycle of this, and it was a turning point in many ways, but 65 is also a turning point that makes me feel like an elderly person, as I am now fully paid out of my pension and can use senior discounts at various facilities.Yesterday, my wife, son and I went on a one-day trip to Boso in Chiba for the first time in a while. Recently, my son has been busy with school and part-time work, and it has been difficult to coordinate his schedules with my wife’s part-time work, so we have had fewer opportunities to go out together. Also, my son will finally start working as a full-time employee from April, so it looks like we will have even fewer opportunities to go out together, so on the last day of my son’s winter break from school, we enjoyed a short trip together with all member of my family for the first time in a while.
Initially, I had planned to have breakfast on the Boso Peninsula, then take a ferry across Tokyo Bay and do some sightseeing on the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa, but yesterday the wind was strong and the waves in Tokyo Bay were high, so the ferry was canceled, so we ended up spending some time relaxing in Chiba.
First, we went to a seafood restaurant run by the fishing cooperative and had a super-large bowl of tempura and enjoyed many types of sashimi raw fish, of horse mackerel. It would be difficult to order such a large bowl of tempura unless I shared it with my son, who is a big eater. After that, I took a look at the daffodils, which were in best season, did some shopping at the agricultural cooperative’s farmer’s market, and relaxed at a day spa in Chiba City. My son doesn’t like beer as much as I do, so he offered to drive without drinking any after the spa, so I was happy to be able to enjoy a blissful moment with a cold beer.So, we didn’t do any sightseeing and just took it easy, but I think my 65th birthday started off pretty well. I appreciate I can continue to have good relationship with all of you on this year, too.
On Sunday, I guided a group of young people who are staying in Tokyo for a medium to long term, to Koishikawa Korakuen Garden as member of Tokyo City Guide Club. It was divided about 10 guests into four groups, and I guided two guests from India and Germany. The autumn leaves were in full bloom at that time, so I think the guests enjoyed themselves well.
However, since the pairings were decided at the entrance to the garden, it was the first time that both guides and guest group, so there were some confusions.
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden was built to make people in Edo, who could not easily travel to Kyoto, to enjoy a simulated Kyoto trip, but it was some difference for participants from Germany, which had a similar feudal system, and participants from India, which has a different history, to understand the background. In addition, the English pronunciation of the guests was different, so it was difficult to communicate within the participants.
I have explained this garden many times before, and I had information in advance about the type of people I would be guiding, so I was able to plan the scenario and time allocation of my explanation to a certain extent, but I also had to worry about how much I should improvise to suit the pace and level of understanding of the two guests.
Also, because we were divided into four groups, we had to coordinate the viewing time for the whole group, and I had to skip some places to explain, so as a guide, I was a little worried and left with regrets about how much the group enjoyed. However, we were saved by the fact that the autumn leaves were at their best.
