Sankirou: A Symbol of Mojiko’s Golden Age
Mojiko Port in Kitakyushu City has a storied history, having prospered for nearly half a century after being designated a special national export port in 1889. However, following World War II, the opening of the Kanmon Tunnel and the Shinkansen bypassing Moji led to the town’s decline. In recent years, based on the 1987 “Mojiko […]
Embracing Safety and Tradition in Japanese Home Design
As someone originally from Japan—a “Quake Country”—I find myself looking at the increasingly slender, impossibly tall skyscrapers of the New York City skyline with a distinct unease. To me, these structures possess incredible, almost unbelievable proportions. While the United States is not defined by earthquakes in the same way Japan is, major seismic events do […]
Reflections on the World Japanese Garden Conference
The World Japanese Garden Conference I attended in Japan this past September was incredibly stimulating. Furthermore, meeting individuals involved in Japanese gardens across the United States, Mexico, China, and Japan is a valuable asset to me. The High Quality of Japanese Garden Creation and Maintenance Ueyakato Landscape in Kyoto is one of Japan’s top-tier landscape […]
The Greatness of Tree Shade
I’m heading back to Japan temporarily this month, and my only worry is the extreme heat. When I went back at the same time last year, I thought it was unbearably hot, but this year I hear it’s at a disaster level. It’s frightening. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Japan recorded the hottest summer […]
Woodlawn Cemetery: A Garden of Grand Mausoleums & Literary Legacies
Beginning with Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, there are several cemeteries in the United States that offer beautiful and peaceful landscapes. This past weekend, I visited one of them, Woodlawn Cemetery in New York. Established in 1863, this vast 400-acre cemetery feels like an exquisitely maintained garden. It also resembles a botanical garden, featuring many […]
