[Online: Walk ‘n’ Talk at I-House]
A Virtual Japanese Garden Tour at I-House #5 (Earthen Bridge)

   The I-House garden, designed by famed Kyoto landscape artist Ogawa Jihei, is an oasis in the middle of Tokyo. This is the fifth virtual tour guided by our supervising gardener, Chisao Shigemori. This time, he will give a talk about bridges in Japanese gardens, which are constructed of various materials, such as wood, stone and earth, and are built in various shapes: Flat bridges easily blend into the surrounding landscapes, while arched bridges imply crossing over to the Pure Land.
   He will also use documentary photos to explain how the gardeners replaced the old earthen bridge in the I-House garden. The work of replacing earthen bridges is rarely undertaken even by expert gardeners, so this work was a precious opportunity to pass on these traditional skills to the next generation.