We had our Finland exhibition in Helsinki 2024 August-September.
We performed at Opening event, Garden Harvest party, Ending events,
and held workshops, BON dance festivals!
Please check YouTube video
47th ZEN art selected Ginza Exhibition 2022
47th ZEN Art Selected Ginza Exhibition was held from April 12th to April 17th in Ginza, Tokyo.
Thank you very much for this opportunity!
It was a wonderful experience, thank you so much!!
2022 Shihomi Solo Exhibition in Tokyo “ZEN・SAKURA EXHIBITION”
I love to make cherry blossom themed artworks, so I wanted to hold my solo exhibition during the cherry blossom season. I am really grateful that I could hold my first solo exhibition in a nostalgic Japanese old house near Meguro river, Tokyo, where cherry blossoms are really famous. This exhibition is already one of my best memories.
Sakura cherry blossoms Japanese Suibokuga painting & cherry blossoms history in Japan
Click the image for this YouTube video
ZEN art exhibition Sagami Ono
ZEN art exhibition Sagami Ono finished!
We are grateful that we had this opportunity to exhibit.
Thank you for everyone who came to this exhibition!
3D painting Japanese world art in jewelry
I always love to express Japanese beauty and symbols in art, such as paintings and jewelry.
Making Japanese scenery in 3D paintings in accessories is one of my favorite ways of expressing them.
Using resin allows me to make 3D world, by applying paintings in different layers.
It takes time and energy, but the slow procedure of making 3D painting jewelry excites me all the time.
And when it’s done, my affection to these jewelries becomes the special one.
Drawing good luck Japanese symbols, such as Mt. Fuji, Sakura cherry blossoms and Koi fish, and adding power stones, I can make these jewelry into special good luck items.
Cherry blossoms viewing cycling spots in Tokyo – Part 3
Cherry blossoms viewing cycling spots in Tokyo – Part 3
In this Part 3, we would like to show you more of central Tokyo cherry blossoms cycling spots.
We have more Sakura cycling spots in Part 1 and Part 2 blogs, please check them too if you just found our blog for the first time!
First, Senzokuike park.
Senzokuike park is beside Senzokuike station, Tokyu Ikegami line.
This park has a big pond, with lots of Koi fish as well.
In one part of this park, there are many cherry trees.
It’s not in the wide area, but those cherry trees are close together and really gorgeous.
Second is Tokyo Institute of Technology Ookayama campus, in Ookayama.
This is not far from Senzokuike, probably about 10mins cycling from there.
And if you keep cycling from Tokyo Institute Technology Ookayama campus toward Toritsu Daigaku station, you will hit to Nomikawa Greenway street.
Nomikawa Greenway street has so many cherry trees all the way to Toritsu Daigaku station.
Finally, We would like to share the good cycling and cherry blossoms viewing spot.
It is called Kitazawagawa Greenway.
This is beside the small stream called “Kitazawagawa”.
Meguro river ends at Nakameguro, and after Nakameguro, it becomes to a few small streams, and this is one of them.
This Kitazawagawa Greenway goes from Toho university medical center Ohashi hospital in Ikejiri Ohashhi to all the way toward Shimokitazawa.
This greenway has two sidewalks, one for pedestrians and one for cyclists, so you can enjoy cycling easily.
Cherry blossoms viewing cycling spots in Tokyo – Part 2
Cherry blossoms viewing cycling spots in Tokyo, Part 2.
We would like to give you some more ideas for Cherry blossoms viewing cycling spots.
First Tamagawa river.
Tamagawa river is a wide river, runs between Tokyo and Kanagawa.
Alongside this river, there are nice jogging & cycling roads both sides all the way.
You can enjoy cycling as well as walking.
Second, Aoyama cemetery in Minato-ku.
Aoyama cemetery is located between Aoyama and Roppongi.
Very sacred area with lots of cherry trees.
Thrid, Sakura-Zaka street, near Tamagawa river.
This is not long, but gorgeous cherry blossoms, like the name shows.
Fourth, Rinshi-no-mori park, in Shinagawa ku.
This park is quite big, has lots of nature, not just cherry trees.
You can enjoy cycling or walking inside this park.
We will show you more Sakura viewing cycling spots in Part 3, next time!
The reason why cherry trees were planted
The reason why cherry trees were planted.
Have you ever thought about the reason why cherry trees were planted?
In Japan, we can see so many cherry trees in everywhere.
Many of them are really old, few hundred years old.
An interesting point is, many cherry trees are planted by rivers.
This has a reasonable reason.
Ancient Japanese people planted cherry trees by rivers, so that many people would come and see the beautiful cherry blossoms.
They knew that many people visiting and walking there, would help make the soil harden, and help make the solid river bank.
So cherry trees were planted as a flood control measures.
Another interesting point is, that many cherry trees are in shrines and temples as well.
Shrines are Shintoism, and originally have deep relations with pine trees, but not with cherry trees.
However, people thought cherry blossoms’ gracefulness symbolizes the samurai spirit, and many shrines preferred to plant cherry trees as well.
Temples are Buddhism which has the deep relations with flowers.
They admired cherry blossoms as well as plum blossoms.
We cannot talk about Japanese history without the relations with temples.
Muromachi era, Sengoku era, around 13C to 16C, many temples already had cherry trees.
Famous Samurai and shogun enjoyed Sakura viewing “Ohanami” since then.
In Japan, people enjoy Sakura viewing “Ohanami” since ancient time, and this is a Japanese culture.
Many famous Sakura spots in Kyoto and Nara are in temples and shrines.
In Tokyo too, many famous Sakura spots are in temples and shrines, as well as by rivers, or near the water.
Ueno park, where many people visit for Sakura viewing, was once a temple.
Imperial palace is surrounded with moat.
Meguro river, Kanda river, Sumida river, Tamagawa river, Arakawa river, are all famous Sakura spots.
Cherry blossoms viewing cycling spots in Tokyo Part 1
Tokyo cherry blossoms spots for cycling Part 1
It’s a cherry blossoms season!
The popular Sakura, “Somei-Yoshino” cherry blossoms are almost in full bloom in Tokyo.
There are many well known spots such as, Ueno park or Imperial palace, but we would like to give you some good spots for cycling as well.
The cherry blossom cycling spots we recommend are all close to the central Tokyo area, such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shinagawa. If you are in the central Tokyo area, please check out!
First, Meguro river.
Meguro river is getting really famous for cherry blossoms recently.
Meguro river runs all the way from Tokyo bay area Tennozu-Isle to Nakameguro and even further.
Many cherry trees are on both sides of this Meguro river.
You can enjoy cycling all the way alongside the river.
Second is Yoyogi park.
Yoyogi park is located just behind JR Harajuku station and is well known, yet very big with lots of nature.
There are cycling roads in this park, and you can enjoy cycling as well.
Third is Kamuro zaka Dori street.
This is near Fudo-mae station, Tokyo Meguro line.
From the bottom of this street, you can enjoy the tunnel of cherry blossoms as you go up the street.
After passing Somei Yoshino Sakura trees, dark pink Sakura “Kawazu Zakura” cherry blossoms appear.
Fourth is “Tachiaigawa Green Way” in Nishi- Koyama area.
This street is not far from Kamuro Zaka Dori street.
It’s located near Nishi Koyama station, Tokyu Meguro line.
We will share more cherry blossoms cycling spots in the next blog, Part 2!