After a long lockdown in Tokyo, the Kyu-Furukawa Gardens Rose Festival 2021 was a much-anticipated floral escape. I woke up to an overcast sky, but I wasn’t about to let that dampen my spirits. A trip to one of my favorite places in the city for a dose of roses was the perfect pick-me-up I…
Imagine stepping off a bustling Tokyo street and finding yourself in front of a 17th-century English manor. This isn’t a film set; it’s the Kyu-Iwasaki Gardens, a stunning time capsule of Meiji-era opulence. The famed British architect Josiah Conder designed it for the founder of Mitsubishi. This estate is a treasure trove for photographers and…
For most people, 2020 was a bad year. For photographers like me, cancelled events and empty streets filled Tokyo which was a disaster. That’s why the Spring Rose Festival at Kyu-Furukawa Gardens felt like such a gift. In a year of so much gray, these flowers were a much-needed splash of color and a reminder…
In the heart of Tokyo, a city renowned for its futuristic skyscrapers and neon-lit streets, lies the foundational work of a visionary from across the seas. Josiah Conder, an English architect, left a mark on Japan’s capital, and that influence continues to be heard in the architectural landscape. His story is one of cultural exchange…
Imagine stepping off a bustling Tokyo street and into a scene from the English countryside, complete with a stone manor and a fragrant rose garden. This isn’t a dream; it’s the Kyu-Furukawa Gardens, a stunning example of Taisho-era elegance and a photographer’s paradise. You can’t get much more English than that, can you? Josiah Conder,…