箱根湿生花園 (Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands) is definitely worth visiting, especially if you’re interested in botany or enjoy natural landscapes. It’s located within the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park at Hakone, Kanagawa, Japan. The garden showcases a wide variety of wetland plants, including 200 species native to Japan’s wetlands, as well as grassland, forest, and alpine plants, totaling about 1700 species.
While spring and summer offer vibrant floral displays, the garden's beauty unfolds throughout the year, making it a worthwhile destination in any season.
Unveiling the Beauty of Hakone Botanical Garden (YouTube link)
Photo Gallery
During my visit to the Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands on March 31, 2024, I discovered that timing isn’t everything. Despite not arriving at the ideal moment, the serenity of the surroundings enveloped me, offering a tranquil escape as I wandered through the day. The thoughtfully curated paths guided me through a living tapestry of flora, arranged to reflect the progression of wetland ecosystems from their nascent stages to full maturity.
The Asian skunk cabbage(mizubasho) also flowers during this time, lasting until mid-April
The Katakuri (かたくり) blooms from late March to early April
The Katakuri (かたくり) blooms from late March to early April. The Asian skunk cabbage(mizubasho) also flowers during this time, lasting until mid-April
Commemorative signs highlight visits from Japan's Imperial Family, including Emperor Showa (昭和天皇)
A Quiet Day in a Berlin Park, 1933 In the early 1930s, Takehisa Yumeji's studio became a hub for artists, inspiring ventures like the Mt. Haruna Art Research Institute. In 1931, Yumeji began a journey to the United States and Europe, supported by exhibitions of his work. While in the U.S. for 16 months, he continued to paint, creating pieces like Nude on the West Coast. Afterward, Yumeji taught in Berlin until the school was closed by the Nazis. He returned to Japan in 1933, his overseas experiences shaping his final works. His last exhibition was held in Taipei that year. Yumeji passed away from tuberculosis in 1934, leaving behind a legacy of beauty and cultural exchange. Read more: Prints in Collection—Takehisa Yumeji (1884-1934) Kuronosuke 黒の助: a Legacy Little Black Cat (YouTube link ) Photo Gallery The Yumeji Art Museum in Okayama exhibits many black cat paintings because the artist, Yumeji Takehisa , frequently featured them in his work, particularly in his bij...
This is a passageway leading to Nankai-Namba Station. Be aware that underground passages in Japan can be quite complex for visitors. When you arrive at Kansai International Airport (symbol: KIX) and try to reach your destinations via trains, sometimes you need to make connections at Namba Station (see Fig. 2). Namba Station is one of the main connection points (the other two are Umeda and Tennoji Stations). But, Namba Station actually means 4 different stations on Google map (see Fig. 3&4) : Namba Station (Subway): This station provides access to the Osaka Metro lines: Midosuji (see Fig. 4), Sennichimae , and Yotsubashi . These lines can take you to popular destinations like Osaka Station, Koreatown, Honmachi, and Nippombashi. JR-Namba Station: This smaller station has only four tracks and two platforms. It's located within the Osaka City Air Terminal (OCAT) building, and the entrance can be easy to miss. Thankfully, it's connected to the ...
Koyasan (高野山), a popular pilgrimage destination for centuries, has been connected to the outside world by a network of pilgrimage trails. While most visitors enter the mountain by cable car nowadays, many of the pilgrimage trails still remain in use. Koyasan Travel—Temple Lodging (Shukubo; YouTube link ) Part of the pilgrimage trails, the Fudozaka Trail (不動坂; click the map to enlarge), leads to Koyasan from Gokurakubashi Station, the lower station of the Koyasan Cablecar. The steep, paved trail is 2.5 kilometers long and takes about an hour to ascend and less time to descend. The trail ends at the Nyonindo temple (女人堂). [1] On 11/27/2016, I have decided to descend from Fudozaka Trail instead of riding the cable car. I was the only person on the trail at beginning. However, in the middle of the trail, another young blonde girl passed me by swiftly with a big smile on her face. I was really surprised to see another soul on that rainy day. Althoug...
