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 companies. I find it difficult to fully express the superb quality of their maintenance work at the Tairyu-sanso (対龍山荘) and Murin-an (無鄰菴) gardens. What is particularly noteworthy is their approach to keeping a garden beautiful: it’s not merely “maintenance”—the idea of simply preserving the status quo—but rather “fostering.” This philosophy involves nurturing the garden while anticipating the future growth and form of the living plants. This approach is completely distinct from the way Western gardens are typically managed.
The Legacy of Japanese Immigrants on the U.S. West Coast
The active engagement with Japanese gardens on the U.S. West Coast speaks volumes about the long-established Japanese-American community rooted in that region. Presentations on the activities of the Vancouver Japanese Gardeners Association and the restoration project of the Japanese Friendship Garden in San Diego, spearheaded by Professor Keiji Uesugi, showed me that the landscape of Japanese gardening is quite different there compared to the East Coast, even within the same country.
The conference also featured case studies of Japanese gardens in Australia, the UK, Lithuania, and Germany. Moving forward, I am determined to become involved in Japanese garden projects not only on the U.S. East Coast but also in other countries worldwide.
