Hello and Welcome to
www.nipponcraft.com,
I have updated the slide shows in the top page of our
website.
In this issue, let me talk about a lotus garden in Gyoda city and Bonsai tree nursery in Omiya city. (Both cities are located in Saitama prefecture adjacent to Tokyo.)
In 1973, ancient lotus seeds that were buried presumably for 1,400 to 3,000 years miraculously started to bloom after they were dug from soil by an incineration plant construction. The area was once a wetland covered by water plants 2,000 years ago and then lotus seeds were buried from crustal movements. These miracle seeds were gathered and were moved to the adjacent "Kodai-hasu (ancient lotus) park" in Gyoda city in Saitama prefecture. You can enjoy beautiful lotus flowers from the mid July to the beginning of August. To get there, please take Takasaki line (JR railway) from Tokyo, get off at Gyoda station and take a bus. You have to get to the park in the early morning to enjoy flowers because lotus flowers start to wilt in the noon.
The website of the park (Japanese written only) is :
http://www.ikiiki-zaidan.or.jp/kodaihasu/
Bonsai is an artificial planted tree contained in a pot. The Bonsai cultivation technique dates back in the 9th century. There live many Bonsai professional gardeners in Omiya, Saitama prefecture, approximately 30km north of Tokyo. The area is called "Bonsai-Mura" (literally Bonsai village). Many Bonsai professional gardeners migrated to this area from Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo they originally lived in to escape from the crucial damages caused by the huge earthquake occurred in 1923. The soil, water and fresh air were good for nurturing Bonsai trees. Usually, bonsai gardeners do not allow visitors to take photos to protect rights of likeness. However, I found a Bonsai gardener who generously allowed me to take photos to introduce Bonsai plantation to the world. To get there, please get off either at Omiya Koen station on Tobu Noda line or at Toro station on Utsunomiya line operated by JR railway.
The detailed destination map can be found at:
http://www.bonsai-art-museum.jp/english/sisetsu/access.php
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