Wisteria Flower Festival in Ashikaga

Giant Wisteria Trellis in Ashikaga Flower Park

I visited Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi prefecture, where giant wisteria trellises were in full bloom. Also in full blossom were wisteria tunnels, wisteria screens, double wisteria flowers, and countless azalea trees.

CNN travel staff selected Ashikaga Flower Park as one of 10 "Dream Destinations for 2014 (click here to visit) ", being only one choice from Japan.

You can visit the park from mid April through mid May to enjoy this spectacle.

To get to Ashikaga Flower Park from Tokyo, take a train for one and a half hour, then walk for 15 minutes. 

Haiku Excursion to an Azalea Temple

Togaku-in Temple, Kawasaki

I visited Togaku-in Temple, a well-known azalea temple in Kawasaki, with the members of a haiku society. The azalea trees were in full blossom that day.

"Haiku" is the shortest poem in the world.

It consists of 17 syllables in a 5-7-5 line pattern, and the subject-matter comes from nature and everyday life.

Each haiku contains a seasonal word called "kigo". As kigo is closely associated with Japanese nature and way of life, it indicates a specific season in each poem and provides the readers with a vivid image which the poet intends to read in the haiku.

I am a haiku poet and a member of a society named "Shunto". We meet once a month to read, share, and enjoy haiku.

We occasionally take a trip to temple, shrine, and garden to find theme for haiku.

Zen Meditation Session at Engaku-ji, Kamakura

Kojirin, Zen Meditation Hall

I attended a Zen Meditation Session at Engaku-ji Temple in Kamakura.

It is offered every Saturday afternoon and open to public for free of charge.

One hour session includes an entry guide, a trial meditation, a sermon by a monk, and an actual meditation.

Zen is one of the sects of Buddhism.

It teaches that enlightenment can be achieved through strict mental and physical practices

such as "zazen" or zen meditation.

Zazen is a type of religious meditation performed while seated on a cushion with crossed legs and folded hands.

Zen influenced various Japanese traditions like the tea ceremony and ink wash painting called "sumie".