JAPANESE GARDENS – DESIGN – STUDY TRIP – FENG SHUI ARCHITECTURE
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With the presence of
M. Sachimine Masui
Landscape Designer MASTER in Japanese Gardens
Saeko Ambe – Tokyo Japan, Landscape Designer, Architect
and with the participation of Arch. Pierfrancesco Ros
Tuesday, May 31
NARA
Isuien Garden (18th century); The garden belongs to the type of passage gardens, being crossed by winding paths where the landscape changes at every step between ponds, streams, stone lanterns, revealed and hidden elements
Todai-ji Temple and Great Buddha (8th century);
Todai-ji Temple is one of the most important temples in the city of Nara. Todai-ji is a Buddhist temple built entirely of wood and houses the large bronze statue of Buddha Vairocana (Buddha who shines throughout the world like a sun), popularly called Nara Daibutsu (Great Buddha of Nara).
Ritual and blessing or meditation in a traditional temple with a monk
Free afternoon/evening
Wednesday, June 1
NARA – KYOTO
Design and architecture in Nara;
Visit to the Historic District of Nara, Naramashi is made up of small wooden houses burnished by time, the machiya.
These modest homes, built by merchants in the 18th and 19th centuries – some are still inhabited by their descendants – now house restaurants, craft shops and art galleries. Two of them have been transformed into museums, showing the secrets of their internal architecture and the lifestyle of their inhabitants. Visit planned inside a traditional house.
Ritual and blessing or meditation in a traditional temple with a monk
Departure by train for Kyoto around 16:00;
Arrival in Kyoto around 17:00;
Check-in at the hotel
Free afternoon/evening
Thursday 2nd June
KYOTO escort: arch. Sachimine Masui
Garden of Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion, 15th century); In the northwest of Kyoto there is a district where, starting from the 8th century, many aristocrats came to settle. Several large temples were built there; the most famous was the Kinkaku-ji, or Golden Pavilion because it was entirely covered with gold leaves.
Ryoan-ji Garden (dry garden with 15 stones, 17th century); Ryoan-ji Temple is famous for its garden, a perfect example of Karesansui inspiration. Fifteen rocks emerge from a sea of white sand. Its simplicity and purity are the emanation of the principles of Zen Buddhism.
Ritual and blessing or meditation in a traditional temple with a monk
Free afternoon/evening
Friday 3 June
KYOTO companion: arch. Sachimine Masui
Daitoku-ji Temple Zen Gardens (Daisen-in, Ryogen-in, Koto-in, Zuiho-in) Daitokuji Temple is the main temple of the Daitokuji school of Japanese Zen Buddhism of the Rinzai sect and is considered one of the best places for a Zen experience in Japan. The main temple and some of the minor temples are open to the public and exhibit elements of Zen architecture and design, including gardens and rooms for the tea ceremony with tasting of typical Japanese green tea (15th-20th centuries);
Ritual and blessing or meditation in a traditional temple with a monk
Visit to Kurama Mountain, where Mikao Usui, the founding father of Reiki, meditated for 21 days; visit to the temple with a walk;
Visit to the Kurama Hot Springs with the possibility of taking a hot bath in the middle of the cypress forests, dinner at the hot springs.
Saturday 4 June
KYOTO
Tenryu-ji Temple (“Dragon in the Sky”, garden, 14th century); Tenryuji is one of the most famous Zen temples in Kyoto for its origins, its history and for being one of the most illustrious seats of the Rinzai Zen school, which had origins and direct ties with China.
Arashiyama: walk along the river through the famous bamboo forest.
after 5:30 pm walk between architecture and tradition in Ghion, the geisha district, adjacent to the traditional shopping area.
Originally developed in the Middle Ages in the areas in front of the Yasaka Shrine in order to host travellers and pilgrims visiting the temple, it later became one of the most exclusive and renowned geisha districts (hanamachi) in the entire country. Gion is dotted with traditional Japanese houses (machiya), some of which are ochaya, or the famous “tea houses” where generations of wealthy Kyoto males, from ancient samurai to modern intellectuals and businessmen, have been and are entertained by geisha.
Free afternoon/evening
Sunday, June 5
KYOTO
Tofukuji Temple (modern garden, and 20th century garden); It is certainly not what we usually mean when we think of “green” but it is certainly a garden and an absolute masterpiece.
The temple dates back to 1200 but the courtyards were designed in 1930 by the architect Shigemori Mirei. The experience we propose is that of zen contemplation, being barefoot among the monks, the scent of incense and inok wood and absolute silence.
Contemporary Design and Architecture in Kyoto;
You will visit contemporary architectures by famous architects such as the Kyoto Concert Hall by Arata Isozaki.
This concert hall was built to commemorate the 1200th anniversary of the city. The Garden of Fine Arts by Tadao Ando and finished in 1994.
This open-air museum is built in raw concrete.
The roofless structure includes the world’s first gallery of paintings (reproductions of famous works), in a garden, made of intertwining walkways on multiple levels; the Kyoto Tower, this icon of Kyoto was built by Mamoru Yamada in 1964. The tower rests on the roof of a building and is supposed to resemble a lighthouse, The 3 Orijin buildings by Shin Takamatsu. This site of the Hinaya company is divided into three buildings.
Some of these architectures are only visible from the outside.
Free afternoon/evening
Monday 6 June
KYOTO – TOKYO
Design and Contemporary Architecture in Kyoto: In the morning, visit to a selection of showrooms and shops of Japanese design.
After lunch, while waiting for the train that will take us to Tokyo, we will visit the
Station project of the nineties, by the architect Hiroshi Hara..
Departure for Kyoto around 15.00 with the Shinkansen train (famous high-speed train);
Arrival in Tokyo around 17.30 and transfer to the hotel by private van.
Free afternoon/evening
Tuesday 7 June
TOKYO guide: arch. Saeko Ambe
Asakusa: visit to the Temple. Asakusa is a district of Taito, located in the north-east of the city of Tokyo bordered to the east by the Sumida River, has as its center the Sensōji temple, dedicated to Kannon Sama, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, and is the oldest place of worship in Tokyo.
Ritual and blessing or meditation in a traditional temple with a monk
The area around the temple is also home to numerous small businesses and restaurants, such as the Hanayashiki amusement park (the oldest in Japan), small theaters and numerous other temple structures.
Ghinza: is a district of Chūō, It is an area known as a luxury shopping area, with several department stores, boutiques, restaurants and cafes.
Free afternoon/evening
Wednesday 8 June
TOKYO
Free time in the morning for walking and shopping.
Departure for the airport with a private van.
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