BY Clay Larroy
Traveling can be an important part of your life,
whether for business or for pleasure. Take time each day to alleviate stress
while traveling or vacationing and you will thank
yourself for it when you get back home. With all the chaos, jet-lag, partying
and other excitement of travel comes a whole lot of stress on your mind and
body. By the time most vacations are over, another one is needed to recover so
taking a few minutes each day to rejuvenate will make it easier for you to
resume your normal life when it's all over. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!
Gardens
in the Land of the Rising Sun
By
Cindy Lou Dale
Japan is shrouded in mystique and ancient history, and
the perfect way to unravel this enigma is by exploring its landscape gardens.
Their basic design is based on capturing the grace and beauty of nature and
bringing it into daily life.
As simplistic as this may sound, the true magnificence
of Japanese gardens is profound. They create soulful, refined and elegant
spaces, a humbleness surrounded by nature.
Landscape gardening has been an art form in Japan for
centuries. Their designs can be put into three distinctive groups, namely hill
gardens, dry gardens and tea gardens and can include everything from courtyards
to streams and basic, austere spaces to lush, tropical environments. Some are
highly groomed, while others look almost wild.
The general landscaping theme is based on the
principle of minimalist simplicity, including understated contrasts in hues and
textures of green, and a near flawless harmony with the elements. This accord
is attained through repetition and a semblance of balance.
Japanese gardens generally follow several basic design
principles: they are hugely reduced in scale, they are enclosed, the angle of
view is crucial, they borrow scenery, and they hold balance and symbolism. Most
Japanese gardens endeavor to duplicate the environment in miniature.
The Japanese garden is a work of living art and a
reflection of the Japanese spirit. Nothing is left to chance; every living
thing in a garden exists for a reason and stands as a symbol for something else
in Japanese culture. A simple garden walkway could reveal to us a part of the
richness of Japanese history or its metaphorical significance.
Japanese gardens aesthetically please all the senses -
the resonant sound of the bamboo wind chimes in a silent garden, the textures
and shades of the foliage; but it’s the serene simplicity and stillness as
found in the Tsukiyama style
garden that enchant all who experience it.
Tsukiyama style gardens reflect nature in miniature
and consist of hills, stones, ponds, streams, bridges and paths, and vary in
the way they are viewed. Smaller garden varieties are typically enjoyed from
one viewpoint, like a temple’s veranda, while the gardens more generously
proportioned benefit from a circular path.
Zen Buddist-inspired Karesansui style gardens encapsulate poetry, religious
belief, and a link to the past. They are an ever-changing symphony that
imitates abstract variations of natural landscapes by using sand, stones and
gravel.
Individually, we experience Japanese gardens in our
own way. There is no right or wrong way to view a garden - one only needs to
look in from the outside and the Japanese garden will reveal itself, or from
the inside out, as one would in a Chaniwa
style garden.
Chaniwa style gardens are visually stimulating and
characteristically include stepping stones that lead to a tea house. En route,
a guest will come across stone lanterns and a stone basin in which to purify
themselves before partaking in a traditional tea ceremony.
REFERENCE SITES:
http://www.travelresearchonline.com/
The art of stone in a Japanese garden is that of
placement. It’s ideal does not deviate
from that of nature.
Isamu Noguchi
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