Hoshun'in Bonsai Garden Newly Opened in Kyoto
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Preserve to transmit
Hoshun'in Bonsai Garden Newly Opened in Kyoto by Wil in Japan Wil, author of this article, is one of the Directors of the NSA (Nippon Suiseki Association), and is becoming, with his reports from Japan, an important trait d'union between the lovers of the art of suiseki in the world, in a moment in which we are denied the joy of meeting and sharing. Japan seems at the moment the only country where life seems to continue as always, although with due precautions. I therefore thank Wil for keeping us updated, with pictures and comments, on the initiatives in which he takes part; this, in particular, arises from the intention of transmitting some traditional arts, such as bonsai and suiseki, to the new generations.
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| Though much of life is still on hold due to the pandemic, certain movement is nonetheless taking place. Just last month as the cherry blossoms were peaking, a new bonsai garden opened in Kyoto to a small number of invited guests, which in the future will give interested visitors to the city a new place to put on their list of sites to see. Mr. Morimae, who has had a long relationship with the temple and organized many exhibitions there over the years, was invited by the abbot to create this space on a plot within the temple grounds that had gone unused for many decades. |
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Of course, bonsai and suiseki can be seen in a number of places throughout Japan, but apart from the Taikanten and smaller exhibitions organized by local clubs, there are not many public places in Kyoto where these traditional arts can be readily enjoyed. What makes this new development particularly interesting is its location – the temple Daitokuji. In the northern part of the city, this Rinzai Zen sect temple dates back to the early 14th century, and over the years has been associated with many important historical figures.
Perhaps reaching its peak in the Momoyama and early Edo periods, it remains important to practitioners of the tea ceremony still today, due to its association with Sen no Rikyū (1522–1591), and Kobori Enshū (1579–1647). It is also famed for its multiple rock gardens, and houses old bonseki which have only recently come to light in the suiseki world, such as that featured as the special entry of the 4th Japan Suiseki Exhibition in 2017.
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Being primarily a bonsai garden, that is what takes center stage; and being the cherry blossom season, well… you can guess what was in the first alcove of the indoor display area. A young, weeping cherry tree, with the figure of an elderly man sitting below admiring the blossoms, all under the glow of a full moon. |
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Informed viewers will immediately recognize this as an allusion to the monk and poet Saigyō (1118–1190), who wrote over two hundred poems on the subject of cherry blossoms alone, and one of whose most famous poems is about wanting to die in the spring under the flowering trees. Should we all be so lucky !
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Of greater interest to us, however, are the five suiseki that were on display. An important point to note before considering the stones chosen for the inaugural exhibition, however, is the mission of the garden.
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| With that introduction, it is clear that the purpose is quite simply to introduce these arts to temple visitors who may not otherwise know much about them. Accordingly, the inaugural exhibition was not a parade of great masterpieces put out to impress the cognoscenti, but rather simple, straightforward displays that even someone who had never heard of suiseki could look at and understand. Included were clear examples of the different types you might choose to introduce the art to any beginner: a yamagata ishi, shimagata ishi, taki ishi, and funagata ishi. | ||||||||
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| In another alcove was a three-trunk pine displayed with a small waterfall stone. | ||||||||
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Keido teaches that bonsai and suiseki should not compete with one another in tokonoma displays, and therefore must not be displayed together, but let us remember that bonsai and suiseki were being displayed together in this manner long before Katayama created Keido and its various principles and aesthetic philosophies. In the mid-20th century suiseki experienced great growth in popularity as an independent pursuit, but before that time it was practiced by many as a companion art of bonsai, and displaying them together in this fashion was not at all uncommon in the past. |
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| With the development of this new garden, it is hoped that bonsai and suiseki both will have the opportunity to reach new audiences, helping preserve the traditions in an idyllic setting, while providing a means of outreach to a new generation. | ||||||||
