Whenever traveling to Japan, you always are told to visit the many gardens that populate the area. They even have become so popular in our American western culture that many people will construct them within workplaces, public spaces, or their homes. The purpose of the Japanese garden is to highlight the natural landscape that surrounds you and to suggest that you are in a faraway and ancient place.
This concept intrigues me. Many people in my life say that I live in a fantasy world, which might be why I enjoy spaces that seem untouched so much. I like to escape my reality sometimes and stand in a place that seems foreign and forbidden. It allows me to feel at peace with myself and forget my worries outside of my current situation.
When traveling to Japan back in 2017, I had never been to a Japanese garden and was looking forward to experiencing as many as I could within Tokyo. I wanted to see the grass and moss covering the rocks and pathways. The flowers that would be in full bloom that Spring, and was hoping to be able to see some of the rare flowers native to Japan. I did not know that the gardens would serve a bigger purpose for me emotionally and mentally. I found myself losing time and staying for hours, taking photos, and breathing in the fresh tranquillity.
The first garden I went to in Tokyo was the Rikugien gardens. I had to convince my friends who had traveled to Japan that it was worth seeing. Luckily, we were having a bit of a stressful day, so when I suggested to my friends to take a moment and go to the gardens to have a small bit of peace. My plan had worked because no one fought against the idea. I did not understand the importance of that decision and how it would affect my life in the future, but I was ready to explore some greenery rather than the city streets.
As we walked into Rikugien garden, it had a central pond with surrounding trails connecting through a forest and open areas. According to the map at the entrance, the entire grounds takes about an hour to walk through. Once we passed the main gates, I knew this garden was going to be different than any other that was in the United States. The atmosphere radiated energy harvested from the gardeners' hard work to maintain and upkeep the gardens. Every plant and tree had a place and was grown there for a reason. That wasn't just a garden, but art as well. The landscape architects put in a lot of blood, sweat, and tears while designing this garden. The structures and buildings around the area were built within the environment and were there for a purpose. The multiple tea houses that are open to the public had many people seated outside with their tea enjoying their quiet for the day. I could only imagine that during the autumn months, these gardens would be spitting out color everywhere. The Japanese foliage and cherry blossom seasons must attract many visitors.
When my friends and I started to explore the garden, it was the most magnificent color of green. I grew up in Vermont, the green mountain state, but compared to the Rikugien garden, I did not think Vermont deserved that name. I had never seen so much vibrant color in my life. With the flowers in bloom, everything seemed to be right out of a Japanese fairytale. The elaborate rock sculptures and the beautiful Asian flowers within the gardens were limitless, and there was always somewhere to be looking. It was almost overwhelming to a point. My head was continuously turning, waiting to see what was down the path.
The bridges and trees were even elaborate with natural decoration. They were covered in grass and moss, creating a beautiful scene. It made the environment feel like a lost area, yet to be discovered. My adventurous side was starting to show as I continued to explore areas of the gardens that seemed no one had walked for many years. I stumbled upon waterfalls and hidden benches, the feeling of wanderlust pulling me further and further into the garden.
The garden itself was quite massive. My friends and I unknowingly split up all consumed in our world within our minds. The feeling within me swelling and reaching my face, which resulted in a smile. I felt as if I was the main character in a Studio Ghibli film and that Hayao Miyazaki was drawing my exact expression at that moment. I was officially in a different world. My mind, expanding to realize that this peace and tranquillity in life is attainable and within reach if we allow it. This mystical place and feelings that formed there surrounded my soul, and I felt like I took my first breath of life. I embraced the moment of clarity with open arms realizing that the trivial, materialistic things in life no longer mattered to me. They shouldn't matter. The inner peace within oneself should be what humans search for in life, and I just had a taste of it.
The garden affected my life after we had long left the grounds. I consistently try to identify what my mind and body need psychologically rather than physically. The gardens allowed me to feel something I had never experienced in my 21 years of life at the time. I was becoming wiser and more experienced with life. Instead of asking people, "what do you want?" I would ask, "what do you need?" I had realized that to stay sane in this crazy world that individuals need to cater more to what you need at that moment rather than what you wanted. I continue to work every day to push the distractions that arise aside and to stay clear-minded and content with how I am living my life.
This garden was only the start of a lifelong journey to finding myself and what was important to me. The beauty and serenity of the place would live inside me for the rest of my life. My mind would be clear of what did not matter and only full of love, peace, and tranquility. That was the decision I made that day, based on a feeling I felt while I was exploring. At times, I believe this was the moment I realized I wanted to see more of the world. I wanted to explore and learn as much as I could in my life. I understood why Japanese gardens became so popular and why they attract so many visitors. People are always searching for something they feel is missing from their lives, and I had sensed that I just solved a piece of my missing soul.
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