Camellia Tea CeremonyIrises at Heian-jingū (平安神宮) herald the comfortable dying days of spring.
in the spring breeze
already casting shadows...
irises
春風やはや陰作るかきつばた
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1810.
Trans. David G. Lanoue.
running messages, wagtail
for the shrine's god?
irises
鶺鴒は神の使かかきつばた
-1810.
the long skinny snake's
Shinto shrine...
irises
細長い蛇の社や杜若
-1818.
Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶).
Trans. David G. Lanoue.
After the shock of losing both the emperor and its status as capital in 1868, Kyōto embarked on a series of prestige projects to help revive trade, tourism and its damaged ego.
Heian Jingū, the Lake Biwa Canal, the geisha dances and the Jidai Matsuri were all born at this time.
Heian Jingū's (平安神宮) sprawling 33060m2 'Shin-en' garden (神苑) is divided into 4 parts: Higashi (東神苑 - East), Naka (中神苑 - Middle), Nishi (西神苑 - West), and Minami (南神苑 - South).
Beginning in 1895, it took Ogawa Jihei VII (小川治兵衛 1860-1933) 20 years to finish the first 3.
In 1968 Nakane Kinsaku (中根金作 1917-95) began work on a new garden, inspired by plants mentioned in a variety of Heian period works.
After years of planning, 'Minami Shin-en' (南神苑), known also as 'Heian-no-en' (平安の苑), was landscaped and fully planted in 1981.
Close to the Naka Shin-en's 'Garyū-kyō' (中神苑/臥龍橋) is a small rest-stop run by our friends at Chikiri-ya (六角ちきりや茶舗).
An iced matcha float is absolutely the best way to sit out the midday sun.
