20th ZEN art exhibition in Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
ZEN art exhibition
We are participating in ZEN art exhibition, coming November 17th~21st, 2021.
It is held at bono Sagami-Ono, South mall 3rd floor, (beside Sagami-Ono station)
Sagamihara city, Kanagawa prefecture : about 30 mins by Odakyu-line rapid-express from Shinjuku station
November 17, 15:00-17:30
November 18～20, 10:00-17:30
November 21, 10:00-14:30
Free admission
Our artwork will be 3 Kakejiku hanging scroll Suibokuga Japanese paintings, with my name Shihomi Homma (本間志穂美）(Japan Cross Bridge).
I myself will try to be at the venue. I hope to see you there!
Bamboo forests in Tokyo – hidden bamboo forest spots
Finding small Kyoto in Tokyo – hidden Bamboo forest in Tokyo
Bamboo trees symbolize Japanese ZEN culture.
When you are in Bamboo forest, you feel very calm and helps you meditate.
Many bamboo forests are in Kyoto, or secluded area.
But you can find bamboo forests in central Tokyo too.
We would like to share some hidden bamboo forests in Tokyo.
If you are living in Tokyo, or if you visit Tokyo, you can experience small Kyoto in these small bamboo forest.
It is a good cycling day trip as well.
First bamboo forest is “Suzume-no-Yado Ryokuchi park” in Himonya, Meguro ward.
This park has many tall bamboo trees and traditional Japanese style house.
The traditional Japanese style house is open from 9:30 to 15:30.
But bamboo trees area is open for 24 hours.
Second bamboo forest is “Roka Koshun-en Gardens” in Setagaya ward.
It is located near “Roka-Koen station” of Keio line.
It is about 40-50 minutes cycling from central Tokyo.
This park is free, but open hour is 9:00-16:30.
There are lots of tall bamboo trees, cherry trees and a memorial house of a famous Japanese writer, “Roka Tokutomi”.
You can go inside this memorial house, which has Japanese old style, and very interesting.
Third bamboo forest is “Senzoku Ike” in Ota ward.
It is located beside “Senzokuike station” of Tokyu Ikegami line.
There is a big pond with Koi fish, cherry trees and a shrine.
Beside this park, there is a temple called “Myofuku ji”.
This temple has small but beautiful bamboo trees.
Lastly, we want to talk about “Todoroki Keikoku” in Setagaya ward.
This “Todoroki Keikoku” park is about 30-40 minutes bicycle ride from central Tokyo.
Or you can go there by train using “Oimachi line” to “Todoroki station”.
In there, you can enjoy nature here, with walking beside the river.
“Keikoku” means valley, and this is a unique small valley that you can experience in Tokyo.
This place has a temple and a Japanese garden area.
In the Japanese garden, there are some bamboo trees, plum blossoms and cherry blossoms.
Those places are bamboo forest spots that we discovered in Tokyo.
We hope you will add these spots to your “Tokyo explore list”!
Photos below are our Bamboo items.
Please visit our Etsy shop for those items and more.
Tokyo Sakura – hidden cherry blossom spots
Cherry blossom season has come!
It’s a little early for popular kind Sakura “Somei Yoshino”(It’s March 4th today), but different kind of Sakura called “Kawazu Zakura” is already blooming in Tokyo.
There are lots of famous spots for Sakura viewing in Tokyo, but we would like to share some not-so-noticed Sakura spots in Tokyo.
These spots are in central Tokyo, so if you are living in Tokyo, or if you are staying in Tokyo, they must be easy places to visit.
Cycling to these places are fun day trips as well!
Today, we would like to share some places where you can enjoy early kind Sakura “Kawazu Zakura”.
Best time to visit for this Sakura is in February, from mid-February to late February.
First place is famous park in Shibuya, Tokyo, called “Yoyogi Park”.
This park is well known as popular “Somei Yoshino” Sakura, but there are some “Kawazu Sakura” too. If you visit there in February, you can enjoy these early Sakura.
Second Sakura spot is “Ebara shrine”, which is located beside Meguro river, near “Shimbamba station” (Keikyu line).
Sakura here is another different kind called “Kanzakura”, and is the earliest Sakura in Tokyo.
You can see this Sakura starts blooming in early February!
Third spot is “Rinshi-no-mori park” in Shinagawa ward.
This is a huge park, and just walking/cycling inside this park is also fun.
“Kawazu Zakura” trees in this park are big and very gorgeous!
You can enjoy having picnic under the cherry blossoms.
Next Sakura spot is “Happo-en” in Minato ward.
“Happo-en” is a luxury event hall for weddings and parties.
This has a big and gorgeous Japanese garden.
You can go inside to see this garden for free.
This Japanese garden is worth visiting, having a big Koi pond and many precious Bonzai(Bonsai) trees.
There are so many “Nishiki goi” Koi fish swimming in the koi pond!
You can enjoy this garden in any season.
Lastly, we would like to tell you about “Todoroki Keikoku” in Setagaya ward.
This “Todoroki Keikoku” park is about 30 minutes bicycle ride from central Tokyo (Meguro).
Or you can go there by train using “Oimachi line” to “Todoroki station”.
In there, you can enjoy nature here, with walking beside the river.
“Keikoku” means valley, and this is a unique small valley that you can experience in Tokyo.
This place has a temple and a Japanese garden area.
In the Japanese garden, there are some bamboo trees, plum blossoms and cherry blossoms.
We hope you will add these spots to your “Tokyo explore list”, if you are planning to come visit Tokyo sometime in the future.
We will share not-so-noticed spots for “Somei Yoshino” Sakura in Tokyo soon!
Photos below are our Sakura jewelry.
You can enjoy your own cherry blossom in accessories.
Please visit our shop on Etsy, JapanCrossBridge!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/JapanCrossBridge
Kakejiku style wall decoration – Fukuro obi belt
Fukuro Obi belts are precious obi belts for Japanese Kimono.
They are usually made with silk, having Japanese patterns.
Shiny silk threads create beautiful and gorgeous looks.
These obi belts can become gorgeous decorations by themselves.
Kakejiku style wall decorations using these Fukuro obi are made to enjoy their own beauty.
Small Japanese paintings are not the main stars here.
Gorgeous Fukuro obi belts are the main stars.
This Kakejiku style wall decorations have their uniqueness- with the combination of Fukuro obi and Japanese painting.
Japanese cultural icon Mt. Fuji
Japanese cultural icon – Mt. Fuji
If you have an interest in Japan, you must have heard this name “Mt. Fuji”.
Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan.
It’s 3,776.24m (12,389ft), located on Honshu.
Mt. Fuji is an active volcano, last erupted over 300 years ago.
The reason Mt. Fuji is very famous as cultural icon is because of its beautiful shape as well.
It stands on the flat wide area “Kanto plain” with symmetrical cone, and snow-capped on its top with the contrast of white and blue.
Because of its unique shape and height, it is very easy to be seen from even far away.
On a clear day in winter time, Mt. Fuji can be seen from greater Tokyo.
Even a glance of Mt. Fuji makes many Japanese people very happy.
I think that is because Mt. Fuji has been believed to be a symbol of god from its serene appearance.
Looking at Mt. Fuji is a very lucky thing.
Since long time ago, Japanese people loved Mt. Fuji, and Mt. Fuji has been depicted in art and photography.
We find Mt. Fuji in many Japanese paintings, Kakejiku hanging scrolls, ink paintings ”Sumie”, etc.
I love to paint Mt. Fuji as well.
Mt. Fuji has different attractions in different seasons and time.
This simple, yet perfect cone-shaped mountain never stops attracting many people.
Sakura cherry blossom – Japanese beauty and sensitivity
I am obsessed with Sakura cherry blossoms.
Sakura is Japanese symbol.
We admire Sakura cherry blossoms in many ways.
Sakura is connected to our Japanese culture deeply.
Since ancient time, Japanese people enjoyed watching Sakura, called “Ohanami” (meaning “watch flowers”)
Spring time, under Sakura trees were full of people, sitting and having picnic.
This “Ohanami” habit is still very popular in Japan.
We see “Sakura forecast” (when cherry blossom start to bloom) on the TV news.
When Sakura starts to bloom, people start going out to have picnic under the Sakura trees.
This is our major Spring event.
We also eat Sakura flowers and leaves.
Pickled Sakura flowers and leaves are used for sweets or tea.
Tea leaf container or other tools are made using Sakura trees.
We have music about Sakura, called “SAKURA”, and all Japanese should know this song.
We have color called “SAKURA color”, which is light sensitive pink.
Sakura is used as Japanese symbol in many situations.
Sakura is very familiar flower for Japanese people.
Sakura cherry blossom time is very short, about one week.
When it starts blooming, it goes very quick to be full bloom, and as soon as it becomes full bloom, leaves start to come out and flowers start falling.
So the short period in full bloom and the beauty of Sakura flowers are often likened to the fragility of human life.
That is why cherry blossoms are symbol of beauty and transience.
I love Sakura, and cherry blossom time makes me excited.
Painting Sakura makes me happy and this is a good meditation for me.
That is why I keep painting Sakura.
Crane bird – Japanese healthy long life good luck symbol
Crane bird － Japanese healthy long life symbol
Crane birds are beautiful big white birds with a little bit of black color on wings and necks.
Even though we don’t get to see them often, crane birds are very familiar for many of Japanese people.
Crane birds are often used as a symbol of good luck and healthy long life.
Especially at the cerebration occasions, we see crane bird pictures and decorations.
On new year day, we use items with crane bird pictures, such as kimono, special black box for special new year food called “osechi”, new year cards called “nengajo”.
We turn on TV on a new year day, we see many CMs using crane birds fling toward Mt. Fuji.
On wedding, brides wear special wedding kimono with beautiful crane bird embroidery.
Crane birds are often be seen with Mt. Fuji on these occasions, as Mt. Fuji is also another good luck symbol.
It is funny that I have never seen actual crane birds, but they have been very familiar birds to me since I was small.
They are beautiful and my favorite birds.
From calligraphy art to colored Japanese painting
I was making calligraphy artworks for a while, and soon after, I started using color in my paintings.
I love the simplicity of Ink art, just black and white and its gradation color.
However, Sakura cherry blossoms should also look great with Sakura pink color, and I began using Japanese pigment and whitewash, as well as watercolor.
Using color expanded my painting world.
I can even paint in jewelry, using acrylic paint.
I can also create imaginary things in my painting world.
I knew I liked making jewelry, as I like miniature things and like to make small things.
But I realized I love painting so much as well.
My creation is now from 3D painting jewelry to Japanese painting mixed with calligraphy art.
Our miniature 3D Japanese food accessories
