Sankei and the lotus flower
Many people have probably heard that when lotus flowers open, they make a "pop" sound. Unfortunately, in reality, lotus flowers open slowly and quietly, so no sound can be heard.
I need to find out the truth of this!
However, lotus flowers are at their best from 7:00 to 9:00 in the morning and close by midday, so you have to get up early to see them in bloom.
As I was researching whether there was a good way to see this moment, I found out that by coincidence, Sankeien Garden in Honmoku, Yokohama, was currently holding an early morning lotus viewing event, which was open from 6:00 AM only on weekends and holidays from July 13th (Sat) to August 11th (Sun).
I got up early and went to Sankeien Garden right away.
But before that, let me give you a brief explanation about Sankeien.
Sankeien is a Japanese garden created by the Meiji era businessman Tomitaro Hara (who later took the name Sankei).
Hara Sankei was also famous as an antique art collector, and it seems he believed in making both Sankeien and his antique art collection widely available to the public.
He is also praised for his achievements in creating an environment in which many people could benefit for a long time from the wealth he built, and for preventing ancient Japanese art objects from being exported overseas. He is also famous for dedicating his personal fortune to helping the people of Yokohama during the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, and is an important figure in any discussion of the history of Yokohama, which has developed to this day after overcoming the hardships of the great earthquake.
*For more information about Sankei Hara, please visit http://www.ifsa.jp/index.php?Ghara
Now, onto the report on the lotus viewing event!
First of all, when I entered the park, there were many people there even though it was early in the morning. I arrived around 7:50. The lotus flowers were blooming like this.
Near the lotus pond at the back right of the garden, we discovered the famous lotus shower, which can only be seen at this lotus viewing event!
Elementary school students were fascinated by the lotus leaves, which repelled the water and caused it to fall in beautiful curves in the shape of beads. This may be a perfect theme for an independent study.
If you are an elementary school student who is tired of growing morning glories and wants to take things to the next level, this is your chance.
Starting at 8:30am, 20 people will be chosen by lottery to receive cultivation seeds.
There was also a small bamboo forest and hydrangeas. Although the best time to see them has passed, they were still blooming beautifully despite the heat.
Still, getting up early makes me hungry.
Hara Sankei's garden is a vast 17 hectares, so just walking around is good exercise and you'll naturally feel fuller.
But don't worry, the three restaurants in the park will be offering a limited-time breakfast menu that will only be available during this period.
I went to Sankeien Saryo to try the "morning porridge set." It comes with miso soup, a soft-boiled egg, Kishu plum, and mizuyokan, and you can add some wasabi with the crunchy stems of the wasabi to your liking, which makes it even more delicious. (Other limited menu items include Chinese-style porridge, rice ball set, and grated barley rice.)
After filling up, we continued to walk around the park and found a small gazebo called Hatsune Chaya. Apparently, in the past, barley tea and fragrant tea were served to visitors here free of charge.
is.
The information board on the shop tells the story of how Ryunosuke Akutagawa once dropped by this teahouse and had tea. He then improvised the following haiku:
"Autumn with a fragrant tea and hot water"
However, in a letter addressed to Sankei's son, Hara Zenichiro, he wrote that the poem was "too ordinary and I felt it was too weak."
Most of the other buildings in the park are designated as important cultural properties or tangible cultural properties by the city.
Finally, I decided to follow the arrow indicating the observation deck and head to Shofukaku, the villa built by Zenzaburo, the first head of the Hara family.
The road to Shofukaku looked like this. It reminded me of Totoro's forest.
Shofukaku is said to be the place where the Indian philosopher Tagore stayed for several months and wrote his poem "The Wandering Bird." However, it was destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake, and the observation deck you see here now stands on the site.
Here is the view from the second floor of the building.
This area of Honmoku is supposed to be reclaimed land, so when I think that this area used to be all sea, I can imagine some amazing scenery...
As I looked out at the sea, I tried to imagine for a moment what kind of poems Tagore wrote.
Hara Sankei had a particular love for lotus flowers, and during his lifetime he apparently had them planted all over the large pond.
When the lotus flowers beautifully colored the pond, they would hold lotus-viewing tea ceremonies.
When he passed away in 1939, he strictly refused all flowers and offerings at his request, and his final offering was, of course, a few lotus flowers.
Come and enjoy a summer morning at Sankeien Garden with the lotus flowers that Sankei loved so much.
Finally, I had completely forgotten to mention that the flowers did not make a "pop" sound when they opened.
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This event is here
"Enjoying lotus flowers. Early morning lotus viewing event"
Date and time: Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays between July 13th and August 11th Opening at 6:00AM (until 5:00PM)
Related projects
Elephant Trunk Cup
This is a seasonal event that began in China long ago, where people pour sake or lotus tea into lotus leaves and drink it through the lotus stem.
Date and time: August 10th (Sat) and 11th (Sun) 10:30-11:30
Capacity: Sake (100 people), Lotus tea (100 people)
Price: 100 yen per person (admission fee not included)
Location: Special venue near the lotus pond
*Drinking alcohol is permitted only to those 20 years of age or older. Please refrain from drinking if you are driving.
Make a hand-colored postcard
You can color postcards printed in black and white with old photographs of Sankeien Garden and lotus flowers to create your own original postcard.
Date and time: August 10th (Sat) and 11th (Sun) 10:00-12:00/13:00-15:00
Fee: Free (separate entrance fee required)
Location: Kakushokaku (※This special event is one of the workshops in the summer ancient architecture open house "Enjoy summer vacation at Sankeien Garden")
