Welcome back to the Tokyo Free Walking Tour blog! With Tokyo’s scorching summer finally behind us, autumn marks the perfect season to explore the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace—a place rich with natural beauty and historical ruins.
The Lucky Secret of Japanese Pine Trees: Symbolism and Skill
Symbol of Longevity: Why Pines are Special in Japan
It is said that there are more than 1000 pine trees in the East gardens of the Imperial palace. They are seen as very lucky plants in Japanese tradition.
Because they stay green all year and don’t die in harsh winters, they symbolize long life and immortality.
Pine trees naturally tend not to grow perfectly straight compared to trees like cedar or cypress. In gardens, this natural form is artificially recreated as an ideal.
Upon seeing the pine trees, one of the questions most frequently asked by our guests is “Are the forms of those pine trees natural?”
Pines are cherished in many gardens and bonsai for their powerful, often contorted forms, which evoke the harshness of nature and the passage of time. Left untended, pines tend to grow relatively straight up, with branches extending diagonally upwards, resulting in an unappealing, overly dense shape.
Beyond Nature: The Art of Shaping Imperial Palace Pines
Therefore, artisans and gardeners deliberately perform the following maintenance:
Bud Control: The direction and vigor of branch growth are controlled, and the overall tree shape is refined, by pinching new buds and pruning unwanted buds or branches.
The maintenance of pine trees is generally considered highly challenging, making it a task that truly tests a gardener’s skill. It is sometimes said that ‘mastering pines makes one a fully-fledged professional,’ and thus, gardeners capable of caring for pine trees are often regarded as advanced or highly experienced experts.
The beautiful pine trees in the East Gardens of the Imperial palace are maintained by highly skilled gardeners.
Experience the Imperial Palace with a Tokyo Free Walking Tour
On Oct 25 we welcomed 24 guests from Canada, Armenia, Luxembourg, Israel, Brazil, the Netherlands, the UK, the USA and Japan. It was a bit rainy but because of that leaves were shining. We enjoyed the beauty of nature in the East Gardens of the Imperial palace.
Tour Report: Meeting Guests from Around the World
Group A
Group B
Group C
Ready to Explore? Join Our East Garden Free Walking Tour Today!
Are you planning your trip to Tokyo? Come and see these magnificent pine trees and enjoy talking about many things with expert local guides.
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We look forward to sharing the history of the Imperial Palace and the secret of the Japanese pine trees with you!
Posted by Nikki