Koraku-En and Daruma - An Autumn Walk
後楽園とだるまさん ― 晩秋の散歩





On November 22 of 2002 I had the chance to visit this famous park in
Okayama City, which is only about one hours drive from my home. The
day was warm and balmy and the park scenery so enchanting I just kept
taking photos as we walked along. For this story I decided to let my
photos do the talking and just give you a short introduction.
2002年の11月22日に岡山市の後楽園を訪ねましたが、あまりの\
美しさに写真ばかりとりました。今回のお話は写
真にお任せします。少しばかり後楽園を紹介します。


Korakuen (Koorakuen 後楽園) is one of the most famous landscape gardens
in Japan, together with
Ritsurin Koen in Takamatsu
http://www.pref.kagawa.jp/ritsurin/index.htm
Kenroku-En in Kanazawa
http://www.nsknet.or.jp/ishikawa/_point/p_kana/pkan-mei/pkan-mei.htm
and the Plum Park Kairaku-En in Mito.
http://pro.tok2.com/~nononet/prari_traveler/japan/09_ibaraki/mitoshi/park/kairak\
uen/


Lord Tsunamasa Ikeda of the Bizen Clan made the decision to construct
a garden in 1686, and it was started in 1687, After 14 years, it was
completed in 1700. It was the private property of the Ikeda Family
until 1884 when it was donated to Okayama prefecture and opened to the
public. Since 1871, the garden was called "KORAKUEN" which means "the
garden for taking pleasure later (kooraku 後楽)." (The name originated
from an old Chinese saying, "the lord must bear sorrow before the
people, and take pleasure after them."
http://www.internet-okayama.or.jp/MOMOTARO/KORAKUEN/KORAKU.HTML





The official Japanese HP of Korakuen starts with a slide show of the
four seasons and then features some information in Japanese. If you
click 晩秋のご挨拶 you will get more pictures of the beautiful autumn
scenery. The Garden Photo News has pictures changing with the seasons.
The garden itself was created by Kobori Enshu, layed out according to
his new concept of gardening in the early Edo period. The main
characteristic of this school of gardening is to create an arrangement
to let visitors enjoy the changing scenery while walking along the
lanes in the artificial reproduction of nature.
http://www.okayama-korakuen.jp/top.cgi


岡山後楽園は、岡山藩主池田綱政公が家臣の津田永忠に命�\
�て、貞享4年（1687）に着工、元禄13年（1700）には一応の完�\
�をみました。その後も、藩主の好みで手が加えられました�\
��、江戸時代の姿を大きく変えることなく現在に伝えられて\
きました。また、江戸時代の絵図や池田家の記録、文物が�\
�く残され、歴史的な変遷を知ることのできる、地方では稀�\
��大名庭園となっています。
説明の最後はこちらです。
http://www.okayama-korakuen.jp/history/history_top.htm


How does Daruma san fit into this autumn scenery? First and foremost,
just walking in the park puts you into some kind of "Daruma Mode",
getting imbued with the beauty of the scenery and the ephemeral
meaning of the fallen leaves on the moss. But then, to my surprise,
Daruma san choose to show up himself. From far we saw a thatched-roof
tea pavillion in front of a tiny tea planation and the shop curtain
(noren 暖簾) showed a picture of Daruma, saying "Come in, please, and
have some hand-made noodles!".
だるまさんがどうやってこの秋話に登場しますかと思った�\
�、まずこの美しい公園を歩くだけでも思わずに“だるまモ�\
��ド”になります。晩秋の色、コケの上の赤い葉っぱ。。。\
まったく別
世界です。そこで達磨さんの登場：茶屋の暖簾に載っただ�\
�まさん。



On the way back towards the car park, there was another Daruma saying
good bye. High up on a roof at the other side of the moat was the red
sign of a restaurant. This day was so special in its flavor, it seemed
to be a special present right from Daruma himself. Thank you so much
for today! With a feeling of deep gratefulness we made our way home
driving through more rusty and enchanting autumn landscape all the way
to our Paradise Hermitage, GokuRakuAn.
帰り道にまだだるまさん。駐車場の向こう側のレストラン�\
�もだるま看板。確かに今日のような穏やかな日はだるまさ�\
��からの特別
プレゼントのように感じました。心から感謝、感謝。




But now my pictures will lead you on to a Soul Walk. Take your time to
find their essence and wonder.
これから写真が主役です。ゆっくり見て、その日のエッセ�\
�スを見つけてください。
Red maple leaves above the castle and a tree on fire in the bamboo grove.
紅葉にお城と竹やぶに燃えるもみじ。







The trees and the lake, double beauty. 二倍の美しさ：木錦と池。




Mind exists in the Buddha,
Buddha exists in the Mind.
Only the mind is Buddha,
Only Buddha is the Mind
The Tree is reflected in the Water.
The Water is reflected in your Eye.
The Eye is reflected in your Brain.
How do YOU reflect the tree-truth?






Looking up in the sky, finding Beauty.
空を見ると美のあらわれ。





Looking down to the earth, finding Beauty.
地面を見ると美のあらわれ。




On the way home, enchanted local lake and enchanted evening sky.
"Nobody needs to go anywhere else, you are all, if only you knew it,
already there!" (Aldous Huxley). Now I am right here!
帰り道に童話の池、魅惑の夕日。今ここにいるだけ！




Thanks for this glorious day of the True, the Good and the Beautiful!
真善美の一日ありがとう！

Presented by Gabi Greve, GokuRakuAn, November 2002.