The pretty Japanese garden of Ichikawa in Issy-les-Moulineaux
By My B. Photos by My B. Posted May 8, 2022 10:32 AM
The Japanese Garden of Ishikawa, at the gates of Paris, is the result of a partnership between the city of Issy-les-Moulineaux and the Japanese city of Ichikawa. They thus worked together to create the first truly traditional public Japanese garden in France. We go to discover this Zen garden, conducive to meditation and rest.
Between the city ofIssy-les-Moulineaux and ichikawait’s a great story of friendship that has lasted since 2008. And this, in all areas, from art to culture, including sport and many other areas. From 2013 to 2016, Issy and Ichikawa worked together to create the “Ichikawa Japanese Garden“, a real traditional and public Japanese garden (so free) then saw the light of day within the Fort d’Issy, at the gates of Paris Fr Ile-de-France.
Plans through the choice of materials, the installation of lanterns or the size of pines are the result of a continuous exchange between the two cities. The gardeners ofichikawa have also come on several occasions to advise the technicians on the subtleties and the spirit of the Japanese garden. Even today, the two towns discuss the upkeep of this living and evolving park.
You should know that the Japanese garden from ichikawa which presents different styles of Japanese garden, covers several periods of Japanese history: Momayama (1573-1603) and Edo (1600-1868). Japanese gardens required the philosophy of the time. That of Issy represents to us the passage from the mountains to the sea.
Stonesymbol of eternity, interacts with plants, symbol of life. In the dry garden or “Karesansui”, the ornamental stones “Keiseki” associated with plants, represent the mountain and the ground. the round stones symbolize on their side, the island and the cape, while the gravel represents the sea.
The water gives the image of the flight of time and of life which is constantly renewed. The Cascade “Nagaré” flows to a pond”ike” and the pebble beach “Suhama”.
Note that the ichikawa japanese garden is not a garden like the others. It is a place of rest and of meditation where you come to recharge your batteries and contemplate nature, in particular thanks to the arbor “Azumaya” which symbolizes peace and serenity.
Obviously, we find the Japanese “Toro” lanterns, typical of traditional Japanese gardens. These lanterns were historically intended to illuminate the entrance to Buddhist temples and to reassure weak spirits at nightfall. In the garden of Issy, there are 4 types of lanterns from different historical periods (Kasuga, Yukimi, Tribe, Misaki).
In this pretty garden, we like to discover the harmonious pruned pines, the many blooming azaleas that catch the eye, Japanese cherry tree during the Hanami period in April or even the yellow irises in May.
So we take a trip to Country of the rising sun near to Paris ?