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Gerard Taaffe
COMMUNITY
Apr 26, 2000
Celebrating the other Korakuen: Okayama
If I were asked to describe this garden with just one word, I would definitely choose "fantastic."
ENVIRONMENT
Apr 12, 2000
Genkyu-en Garden and the House of Ii
The Tokugawa Period has long ended, but dotted around the country there are remains in the form of castles (originals or replicas), yashiki (the residences of the daimyo ruling class) and of course the magnificent gardens with which the yashiki were adorned. Indeed, in most cases only the garden remains;...
LIFE / Travel
Mar 22, 2000
Oberland -- garden of springtime delights
In the western part of Hyogo Prefecture, nestled among broadleaf deciduous forests at the foot of Mount Hyo-no-sen (1,510 meters), lies Oberland Garden (also known as Tajima Kogen Botanical Garden). First opened to the public in June 1997, Oberland has a total area of 17 hectares, and boasts over 1,300...
COMMUNITY
Mar 8, 2000
The charms of Rinshi no Mori Park
A quiet woodland oasis in the heart of Tokyo, with many tall majestic trees, some of which are rarely seen in other metropolitan parks. Plenty of wild birds and insects. A small campsite (open from the beginning of May until the end of October). A play area for very small children, a paddling pond and...
ENVIRONMENT
Feb 23, 2000
Building tropical paradise on a trash heap
Yumenoshima is a man-made island in Koto Ward, Tokyo.
COMMUNITY
Feb 9, 2000
Down by the waterside in Mizumoto Park
Even in Tokyo there is such a place: a park with large open spaces, where a whole family can enjoy picnics, barbecues, camping, flowers and beautiful trees, catch fish and watch birds. Look no further than Mizumoto Park.
LIFE / Travel
Jan 26, 2000
The wild daffodils of Awaji Island
Awaji Island (area 590 sq. km), administratively part of Hyogo Prefecture, is located in the Inland Sea between Kobe and Tokushima in Shikoku. It is the largest island in the Inland Sea, and was once a separate province.
COMMUNITY
Jan 12, 2000
Camellias and camels on Izu Oshima
Izu Oshima has another special attraction: the camellia park. The whole park has an area of 327 hectares, including the camellia garden, a small zoo and a campground known as Umi no Furusato Mura, situated close to the Goze River, all managed by the Tokyo Parks Department.
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Dec 22, 1999
Getting away from it all on Izu's Big Island
Ura-Izu-Oshima Part 1
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Dec 8, 1999
The natural treasures of Kinomiya Shrine
Atami in Shizuoka, along with Beppu in Kyushu and Shirahama in Wakayama, is well known for its hot springs.
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Nov 24, 1999
A mountainous garden undertaking for all
Rikugien in Tokyo is the last in this series on gardens built in old Edo (modern Tokyo) by daimyo under the Tokugawa military government (bakufu) between 1603 and 1868.
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Nov 10, 1999
Brighten up your balcony with spring bulbs
No garden, no matter how small, is complete unless it has some spring bulbs, and this is the time to buy and plant your garden or container with your favorites. Bulbs are inexpensive, especially considering the joy they give. In recent years more and more bulb varieties have become available in garden...
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Oct 27, 1999
Hemlocks murmur in Kasuga's forest primeval
NARA -- Japan's first permanent capital, Heijo-kyo, was built on the Yamato plain where the modern city of Nara is located. Heijo-kyo was founded in the year 710 (from which year the Nara Period is dated) with a design based on that of the contemporaneous Chinese Tang Dynasty capital Changan.
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Sep 22, 1999
Borrowing scenery for a lord's lagoon
A short distance from the center of Wakayama City, on an inlet very close to the sea, is a flat piece of land called Suiken, where a well-preserved daimyo garden known as Yosui-en stands.
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Aug 11, 1999
Nopporo's wild north woods
Nopporo Woodland Park, located approximately 15 km east of central Sapporo in Hokkaido, is huge, with a total area of 2,051 hectares. It is rare to find such a large and wonderful park so close to a major city in Japan. The citizens of Sapporo, Ebetsu and Hiroshimacho are privileged to have this natural...
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Jul 14, 1999
Sendai garden lets it all hang out
Garden designers around the country could take a few ideas from the Sendai Yasoen (Wild Flower Garden) by using more native plants in their own designs.
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Jun 23, 1999
Sapporo garden faces climatic challenge
Sapporo Municipal Botanic Garden, better known as Toyohira Garden, is well off the tourist trail, but highly recommended. The garden is situated in Toyohira-ku, approximately 3 km south of Sapporo Station, just across the wide Toyohira River.
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
Jun 9, 1999
The hills are alive with alpine plants
I had been looking forward to visiting Hokkaido ever since I came to Japan in September 1990. People were always telling me how lovely Hokkaido is, especially during the summer: Its wide open spaces are reminiscent of the countryside in Ireland or England.
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
May 27, 1999
Respect for the forest's elders
The Hokkaido University Botanic Garden is situated right in the heart of Sapporo, within easy reach of Sapporo Station. I really love to see trees grown at their best, and for those of you who feel the same, a visit to this garden is essential.
ENVIRONMENT / GARDENING FOR ALL
May 13, 1999
A miniature blending of landscapes
In Tokyo, there are quite a number of historic gardens that were built by the daimyo during the long Tokugawa shogunate (1603-1867). The designers of many of these gardens were greatly influenced by the Chinese style of landscaping, and by the eagerness of the owners to have famous scenic sights from...

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?