I’ve been so busy since coming back from holidays – getting back into my work routine, apartment hunting and sorting out immigration paperwork to renew my visa – that I feel like I’ve hardly had time to catch my breath. So, this week’s photo challenge theme “serenity” has actually come at a great time to make me stop and relax!
Japanese gardens are designed as serene places where you can reflect, meditate and be at peace. They are always aesthetically pleasing, and grab your attention in the most gentle of ways. From the lines in the raked sand, to the colours in the garden, and the moss on the rocks, you can rest assured everything is in its place!
These are some of my favourite Moss, Rock and Promenade gardens of Kyoto.
Celia in Tokyo 
Celia, as your photos show, you’re in a country that values serenity highly. Lovely photos.
janet
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That’s exactly right, Janet. My first thought seeing this week’s theme was actually Japan is the definition of serenity! It was hard to choose one aspect of the culture.
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I appreciate your pictures of serenity. I too need a little bit of that this week. Fortunately, I have wide expanses of white snow to help me with that.
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I love the silence that snow creates, especially when I’m snowboarding amongst the trees and all I can hear is the board sliding over the snow. Bliss! :-) Hope you had a bit of peace this weekend. 頑張ってね！
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Beautiful photos, and perfectly serene
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Thank you Doug!
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Thank you Celia for sharing these. The pictures are exquisitely beautiful. It is very calming and peaceful just observing them! :)
~Carl~
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Thanks Carl. I know right – I could just sit in a Japanese garden all day long. I dream about one day creating something like this in my own backyard!
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Wonderful entry for the challenge, so calm and serene images.
Best regards, DIna
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Thanks so much Dina, glad you think so :-)
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英恵さんは 心の平安（へいあん）と 生活の落ち着きを どのようにして、感じますか。
日本庭園から感じる 美しいもの、真実なもの、尊（とうと）いこと、正しいこと、純粋（じゅんすい）なもの、
愛すること、優（すぐ）れたものを 心にとどめてたいです。
そして、平和の神様が ともに生きていてくださることが わたしの心に 潤（うるお）いを 与えてくれます。
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私にとってこんな美しい庭園を毎日見られたら、日常生活を落ち着いてできるのでしょう。悪いことを考えず、周りの人と口論しなくて、結局、心の平安をもたらすかもしれません。
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wonderful collage for serenity – :) – and hope all your visa stuff and other things line up smoothly and timely
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Thank you – Kyoto is popular for a reason! And thanks, I hope the next month or so goes smoothly too. >_<
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Beautiful pictures, lovely capture…greenery and garden, such a serene place to be there and engage with nature.
It is soothing for eyes and mind gets activated when we keep ourselves around such enchanting picturesque place.
:D
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I usually stay for a few hours in when I visit these gardens – which some say is far too long, but I can’t help it! Can you see gardens like this where you are, Nihar?
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Yes, we have some lovely garden particularly historical in nature, being nurtured…it is always a lovely place to to go for walk and thoughts flows when on a walk in such beautiful location… life is always more beautiful midst of such natural beauty…
:D
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Hi Celia,
Serenity and Kyoto – the two fit together very well. I love the symmetry of pic 5 where you have captured the straight and swirling lines beautifully. Good luck with all your tasks.
Cheers,
John
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Thanks John! It was taken at Tofuku-ji. :)
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these are so lovely!
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Thanks Danielle! :-)
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