Itami, Ibaraki, and Kyoto

Our adventures in Japan had already begun when we arrived at Haneda Airport.

The first site we visited was Daimonji. It was a great experience to tour the garden and hear from the designer, Prof. Makoto Nakamura. This garden was a prime example of shakkei, utilizing the existing mountains. 

The second site we visited was Nijo Castle. I was impressed by the size of this building, but one thing I really appreciated was how intricate it was to maintain gardens like this. I noticed five people pruning just one pine tree and others picking the moss on the ground.