The Gardener’s View

(Staff Eyes) Caring for the Lawn

Many wildflowers have grown up on Murin-an’s lawn. When we asked our gardeners about them during their work, they offered replies such as “the purple buds on the Viola inconspicuas are really swelling large,” and “although their still too small to see easily, there are many different species like violets and Chinese spiranthes growing.” So we took a nice, slow look for ourselves.

As we trained our eyes on the lawn, a little world unfolded before our eyes. Looking at Murin-an through the eyes of Yamagata Aritomo, its wildflower-loving original owner, can lead to all sorts of new discoveries.

The Gardener’s View

(Staff Eyes) New Buds on the Ring-Cupped Oaks

There are many varieties of acorn-bearing trees planted in Murin-an’s garden. During winter, the bud scales on these trees slowly grew into young leaves. The scaly patterns are still left on their roots. The reddish leaves finally turn a yellow-green before changing into robust deep green leaves. Having finished their role as a winter coat, the bud scales fall down to the ground.

The Gardener’s View

The Japanese Sweet Flag Blooms

There are plants with long and thin leaves on the edge of the water crossing stones.
Take a close look and you can see something on them just like long, thin baby corn…
Those yellow-green things growing toward the sky are actually flowers.
Several flowers grow together to form a single clump.

The Gardener’s View

Removing the Maple Buds

There were many maple buds sprouting from the gaps in the haircap moss so we picked them one by one with our fingers.

We make sure to pick them early because picking them after they lay down roots leads to the moss being torn out with them.

Murin-an Tea Ceremony School

Murin-an Tea School
We held our last tea ceremony class in the tearoom for March.
The weather was constantly changing from patches of blue sky to rain, giving the lesson many sounds to enjoy, from the rain falling on the roof to the boiling kettle water inside the quiet tea room after the rain lifted.
●Please click here for details.

Strolling in the Garden in Kimonos

Strolling in the Garden in Kimonos
On March 30 (Sat.), we held a kimono rental event on the second floor of the main building.
Ms. Ogihara of the kimono fabric shop Ogihara Gofuku helped participants put on kimonos in colors of their choosing before a tea ceremony lesson was given.

There is such a wide variety of combinations for kimonos and obi sashes, each of one of which changes greatly according to the person wearing them. There are styles for both men and women. We’ll be announcing our next garden kimono event on our webpage!

Murin-an Wild Bird Mini-Lecture

Murin-an Wild Bird Mini-lecture
On a warm afternoon on March 27 (Wed.), we held a mini-lecture on the Bohemian Waxwing. We discussed how this bird is rarely seen in western Japan and how it often lives among flocks of Japanese Waxwings, a bird it closely resembles. We also showed how to tell males from females and shared some stories of seeing this bird at Murin-an. Participants were also able to touch real feathers for this wild bird.
Our next mini-lecture will be held on April 3 (Wed) and will cover the Eurasian Wren.
●Please click here for details.

Murin-an Tea Ceremony School

Murin-an Tea School
On March 27, we gave a lesson on the second floor of Murin-an’s main building on how to perform a tea ceremony for a main guest (or shōkyaku). The instructor guided students through the motions of carrying the tea to the guest and how to move one’s legs differently from the way we usually walk in daily life.

●Please click here for details.

Noh Theater Lecture, No.5

Noh Theater Lecture, No.5
On March 23 (Sat.), we held a Noh lecture with Tatsushige Norishige and Keiko Udaka of the Kongo school of Noh.

The subject of the final lecture in this series was “Kiri-noh,” a dynamic and fast-paced genre.
This is a genre in which sacred icons and imaginary animal appear. We heard a lecture on its dynamic masks and acrobatic patterns and also got to see a Noh hanging scroll.

Murinan Miniature Japanese Moss Gardening Experience

Murin-an Miniature Moss Gardening Experience

On the afternoon of March 23 (Sat.), we held a moss garden-making event. Our participants toured the garden to learn about its moss varieties and their characteristics. Then they followed the instructor’s directions to complete moss gardens based on their own design. Checking the balance between stone and moss from each of their gardens’ viewpoints, our two participants consulted one another as they created their own moss gardens.
●Please click here for reservation details.