Trees of Japan Tour Ocotober 2014

[nod]

pages 33-36.pdf

 

G'day Folks

 

I've attached a recent article following a study trip I made to Japan last November. Off the back of this I'm working with a number of Japanese arborists to organise a tree adventure to south west Japan in October 2014.

 

Japan has in the region of 7000 native plants compared to approximately a thousand in the UK which makes it an incredibly diverse part of the world. Along with a 1000year documented history of tree management & pruning its domestic & shrine/temple gardens are a feast for any arbophile. Although the final details have not been agreed upon the schedule will consist of 7-8 full days in Japan plus flights to & from. Currently it's looking something along these lines.

 

1.Kyoto, Nara area : Japanese gardens, temple and shrine-visits.

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2.Wakaya Mt'Koya area : tree crimbing and stay at small place near a temple with experience of life with the monks

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3.Wakayama Nachi area : Onsen( hot spring) and hiking on the ancient road in the sacred Wakayama mountains

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4.Shikoku Island: ( the smallest main-island of Japan) the popular place for Buddhist pligrims and enjoy Bonsai nurseries

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5.Silky visit: small tour at the factory of the world-famous saw-company, Silky.

 

Culturally the Japanese experience is exhausting as, although it's a very westernized country, most of their aesthetic is so different from ours it fills even mundane moments with so much to view & ponder.

 

The trip is being organised through the Canopy Spirit project which began last year with an organised tree climbing swaree in West Africa. A facebook page can be found here, https://www.facebook.com/CanopySpirit with past events & discussions of those involved being open to all. Any excess funds raised from the Canopy Spirit tours are channelled into the Makasutu Wildlife Trust & Ballabu Conservation Project with a developing schools project connected to the Eden Projects Gardens for Life scheme.

 

Should you be interested in the Japan tour or the proposed trip to the Gambia, West Africa in May 2015 please contact us through [email protected]

 

See you in the trees:-)

Edited April 6, 2014 by nod

[jomoco]

Wonderful article Nod.

 

Thanks for posting the link to it.

 

Jomoco

[Craig Johnson]

japan is on the bucket list, cant you make it in the spring so you could include hanami?

[BenR]

Sounds amazing Nod! Look forward to hearing more about it

[treesrus]

fantastic, would love to go back again. (esp. Kyoto).

see if you can get to do something on Niwaki, (cloud-sculpted trees).

[nod]

Our host for the trip is a practising niwash ( tree pruner) & it will be an integral part of the trip. I don't think there will be any hands on pruning but we'll organise nimaki oriented visits for sure.

[RobArb]

Gutted I can't make this one but you know were I stand for next year

[Daniël Bos]

I knew the Japanese were keen on gardens and bonsai, but I seem to remember reading on here not that long ago about Japans first "proper" climbing arborist? It would be great to compare techniques and maintenance and pruning regimes.

 

No chance of me going though, family and money being the two issues.

 

I envy those that can take this opportunity and wish you all the best.

[Paul Barton]

Wow, sounds great. Do you have a rough idea of costs for each trip. I'd love to do something like this and my wife thinks it would be good for me so I'm halfway there!

 

Sent from my SGP311 using Arbtalk mobile app

[jomoco]

Buri-nawa climbing techniques are an ancient Japanese arboricultural tree ascension method that's pretty interesting.

 

 

 

 

Jomoco