FROM THE GARDEN OF ZEN: December 2022

December 20, 2022

Choshukaku teahouse in late autumn: Sankei-en (Yokohama)

Just before the arrival of winter, in the gentle sunlight of a late autumn day, a mosaic of various tinted leaves are shining brightly like the exquisite drawing patterns on a tea container of Kin-makie (gold lacquer work) prepared for an autumnal tea ceremony.

This elaborate and sophisticated teahouse of Sukiya-zukuri (the style of a Japanese tea-ceremony building), which was reconstructed and named "Choshukaku" by Tomitaro “Sankei” Hara (1869-1939), is standing still at the foot of a small valley as if to be almost buried in the colorful autumn foliage. Its name "Choshukaku" denotes the pavilion for listening to the sounds of autumn.

The autumn winds are shaking and disrobing dried leaves and colored leaves keep scattering silently. The sounds of autumn insects are gradually fading away in the bush, and the occasional crying voices of migratory birds can be heard now and again.

The tea ceremonies of Sankei and his guests must have been held in this elegant teahouse on various occasions to enjoy tea and to admire the seasonal beauties of nature. In its modest but refined tearoom, they must have quietly appreciated the subtle sounds and colors of the swiftly passing seasons.

The map and explanatory notes (English version) of the garden are published on Sankei-en official website.

https://www.sankeien.or.jp/en/

Rinshunkaku palace in late autumn: Sankei-en (Yokohama)

Sankei-en Garden is a vast garden-building complex of various historical buildings, temples, teahouses and traditional Japanese landscape gardens, which is located in the seaside area adjacent Yokohama Port. 17 Japanese historic buildings are located on the about 18ha site. Sankei-en was built in 1906 as the private home of Tomitaro “Sankei” Hara (1869-1939) and was named after his Gago (pseudonym).

It is widely admired for its great aesthetic quality which is equal to that of the Katsura Imperial Villa of Kyoto. It was opened to the public in 1906 through the courtesy of Sankei Hara and, subsequently, its further construction works and landscaping were continued as his life work.

"Sankei" means "three valleys" and is associated with the place name of the location of this garden. He was an extremely wealthy silk trader in Yokohama and one of the leading Japanese industrialists of the Meiji era (1868-1912).

Sankei was a prominent collector of Japanese antiques as well as an outstanding patron of the Japanese art world of his time. He was also an elegant Cha-jin (master of the tea ceremony) and a distinguished Huryu-jin (man of refined tastes) who loved painting and calligraphy deeply.

The elegant building named "Rinshunkaku" (the palace for overlooking spring), which symbolizes this Sankei-en, is calmly bathed in the dull afternoon sunlight of late autumn against the backdrop of rust-colored trees and leaves.

This building is constructed in the Shoin-and-Sukiya-zukuri architectural form which is the combination of Shoin-zukuri (the traditional housing style for the samurai class) and the style of Sukiya-zukuri (the style of a tea-ceremony house).

The building, which was moved from Osaka and formerly called "Hashuken" Kaisho (meeting-palace), was purchased around 1905 and then was reconstructed around 1917 here, adding Sankei's favorite tastes.

Sankei believed that this palace, called Momoyama Goten (Momoyama Palace) by himself, was the remains of the North Palace at Juraku-dai (the residence and office in Kyoto) of the Shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi in Momoyama period (approx. 1583-1600), which is said to have been designed by Sen No Rikyu.

Three-storied pagoda of the former Tomyo-ji temple beyond the pond: Sankei-en (Yokohama)

Beyond the long drooping branches of the weeping willow tree, the beautiful three-storied pagoda can be seen atop of the height decorated with the rusty red colors of autumn leaves. It was relocated and restored here by Sankei Hara in 1914 as the central monument of his garden.

This graceful pagoda is visible from various places of this Kaiyu-style garden (stroll garden with a central pond) and is adding essential touch to the scenery of the garden which keeps changing with the seasons.

This pagoda was transfered to Sankei-en garden from Tomyo-ji temple (Kizugawa City, Kyoto Prefecture) and was restored as the first historic building in Sankei-en garden.

Tomyo-ji temple was an ancient esoteric temple of the Tendai sect and was originally located in the mountain along Kizugawa River. This pagoda is said to have been built in 1457 during the Muromachi period (1336-1573).

This pagoda has a style of the architecture called Wa-yo (traditional Japanese style), which is distinct from the Zenshu-yo (Zen Sect style) and Daibutsu-yo (Great Buddha style) architectures.

Choshukaku teahouse and Rinshunkaku palace in late autumn: Sankei-en (Yokohama)

Chosukaku teahouse in late autumn: Sankei-en (Yokohama)

Autumn leaves at the stream: Sankei-en (Yokohama)

Choshu-kaku teahouse in late autumn: Sankeien (Yokohama)

Teisha (bridge with a moon-viewing pavilion) in late autumn: Sankei-en (Yokohama)

Teisha (bridge with a moon-viewing pavilion): Sankei-en (Yokohama)

Tsukubai (stone washbasin): Sankei-en (Yokohama)

Rinshunkaku palace and garden in late autumn: Sankei-en (Yokohama)

Juto Oido hall of the former Tenzuiji temple in late autumn: Sankei-en (Yokohama)

This Juto Oido hall (Ihaido hall) for sheltering a Buddhist memorial tablet, which was built during one's lifetime, was made in 1591 by the Shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi to pray for the long and healthy life of his beloved mother who had recovered from an illness.

Its Momoyama-style wood carvings (lotus flowers, glowing clouds, musical instruments and so on), pillars and the various ornaments above them, which symbolized Buddhists' Pure Land, were once painted with heavenly colors.

Its wooden doors are decorated with the carvings of Kalavinka. It is an imaginary creature in Buddhism, whose upper body is a human and lower body is a bird. This imaginary bird lives in the Pure Land and keeps singing sweet notes to tell us of the paradise where all living things are purified and free from worldly desires.

Tenzui-ji Temple, where this small hall was located, was one of the minor temples within Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto. It was closed at the beginning of the Meiji period (1868-1912) and no longer exists.

This small beautiful hall was moved to Sankei-en in 1905 and was reconstructed as the first historic building in its inner garden by Sankei Hara to express his deep adoration for the culture in the Azuchi-Momoyama period (approx. 1558-1600) of Japan.