# Japan through the eyes of an aquascaper



## TOO (2 Aug 2014)

Hi all,

I visited Japan this summer as part of a conference. Fortunately, I managed to take out a couple of days for traveling. Some of that time I spent hunting ADA stuff in Tokyo. See the result here: http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/ada-prices-in-japan.30535/. On a more cultural note, I had one day in Kyoto. The temples and castles made a huge impression, but from an aquascaper's point of view the gardens surrounding these were no less interesting, not least because they are highly suggestive of the origins of what we call aquascaping. For me one of the beautiful things about aquascaping is how this hobby sensitizes your eyes to natural detail. I include just a handful of pictures. I hope you enjoy.







The use of rocks, water, and trees and plants is a staple of Japanese gardening. Note the combination of trees, ferns and mosses in the center of the picture.






A path of stones running through a garden. I am not sure of this sometimes becomes a small stream or is just for aesthetic purposes.






I thought "iwagumi" when I saw this. This was just one of three arrangements.






A sign explaining the arrangements. If anyone out there reads Japanese, I would be interested in knowing what it says.






Stones, trees and water again. It all looks natural, but every tree appears sensitively pruned and shaped.

On a final note: In the garden at Nijo castle there were a group of trees said to be descendants of trees that survived the bomb at Hiroshima (they were just 1.3 kilometers from the center of the blast). A moving statement in the midst of a garden, which for me is a testament to man's capacity of beauty and good.

Thomas


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## TOO (3 Aug 2014)

Thanks for all the likes. Here is a treat for all the moss lovers out there.


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## James D (4 Aug 2014)

Cheers Thomas, those gardens look beautiful!


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## Alexander Belchenko (4 Aug 2014)

Beautiful images. 
/me wanna see in bigger resolution though.
Yep, I also can see direct influence of those gardens to Nature Aquarium style of Takashi Amano. I think, that's naturally everywhere cause it's a part of their culture.
I think we can expect you new layout, something in spirit of those gardens, soon?


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## Vinkenoog1977 (4 Aug 2014)

Wonderful photos, and I agree with the sentiment about higher resolution. Also, MORE please.


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## TOO (4 Aug 2014)

Thanks a lot guys. I am glad to share this and really appreciate your response. 

Alex, I actually don't have a specific new idea resulting from this experience. For me it was rather about getting a deeper understanding of the nature aquarium approach and how it is part of a wider cultural idea. Especially, it inspires some thinking about the relationship between "culture" and "nature" in gardening (above as well as under water). What I think they achieve in these gardens is blending the cultural and natural in a balanced way: i.e. shaping nature according to human principles about beauty, but on nature's own premises. 

Still, I will definitely go through the images when I plan my next scape. At this point, however, it could go in all directions, including a paludarium or a biotope scape.

I will post some more pictures later and add some with higher resolution.

Thomas


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## Alexander Belchenko (5 Aug 2014)

Thomas, thanks for explanation.

Sent via Tapatalk


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## TOO (8 Aug 2014)

Hi all,

As promised a few more shots. I hope you enjoy them. 

Thomas


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