Hanging Garden of Ichikawa and More
The light is in a transitional phase now. As the sun grows more distant, the temperature begins to drop the quality of the light changes. The light of this early winter in the late afternoon shifts towards yellow. I really am attracted to that yellowing light. Even in the full glare of the sun colors are rich. Hues pop out and speak to me though my senses. Even as my throat ached I couldn’t help but reach for my Ricoh GR IV and capture some of that light.
The use of space is amazing in Japan. The Japanese aesthetic manifests itself in sometimes the most unlikely places like small roadside gardens that are wedged into spaces that would just be discarded in other countries. Here the space, any space, goes to some use. I am always amazed how the zig zags of a home are often loaded with potted plants in a tightly manicured gardens. Actually, they might not be so manicured. Some of them go rather wild and free. To my eye they represent the to dichotomies of Japanese aesthetics. The reverence of nature, and the attempt to tame nature. I see both in the way the Japanese create their personal gardens. These are not the Japanese gardens that are listed as national treasures. They are the homeowner’s personal treasure. A tiny space that reflects their love and interest in the natural world even if it may be surrounded by concrete and asphalt. The flowers rise to greet the sun, and I stop and pause to admire their beauty.
The simple elegance of (your) neighbors friendly garden.
