Exploring Japan - A Visit to Kyoto Botanical Gardens

I really enjoy visiting any type of botanical garden. There's something very peaceful about walking through the plants and the different climates. I have to point out that since I have a strong interest in ceramics it means that I'm often searching for natural colours and textures, so these kind of places are perfect for me. It's so easy to find beautiful colours and photograph the different lines and patterns that are naturally occurring. They do say nature is the best form of art and I really do believe it.

While in Kyoto for some work I visited the Botanical Gardens that's right in front of the Kitayama Station on the Karasuma Line. Here you can find the beautiful 'Garden of Fine Arts' designed by Tadao Ando, which I will highlight soon in a later post, but there's also the Botanic Gardens next door that are not only large and peaceful to walk around but also house a nice conservatory that has these unique climates and plants like the ones I mentioned above.

The gardens were founded in 1924, which makes them the oldest and most comprehensive public botanical garden in Japan. Most gardens in Japan work in a seasonal fashion, which is part of the Japanese philosophy of changing with the seasons and starting anew with each. You will find this with the food and the fashions too. It's an interesting part of the culture that many seem to miss. I am here in Japan between spring and summer, so although there are some beautiful roses that have bloomed I unfortunately missed the cherry blossom. Maybe next year hey! haha For now you can enjoy a few of my photos above and below, it was a fun few hours walking around and meditating on the smells and nature that surrounded me.