All For Gardening
Moss in Japan Japanology
In Japanese Garden

Moss in Japan Japanology



It’s the latest craze in a country known for its eccentric tastes and quirky obsessions. The Japanese have gone gaga for…moss?

In 2011, Hisako Fujii published a book titled Mosses, My Dear Friends. It went on to sell over 40,000 copies, which helped trigger a wave of moss viewing parties among young women who call themselves “moss girls.”

Since then, according to The Wall Street Journal, moss-themed drinks and rings that sprout moss instead of gems have joined moss balls (marimo) as popular wares. Now moss devotees can go on special tours, during which guides lead small groups of fanatics deep into Japan’s lush, mossy forests, where they inspect the plants with magnifying glasses.

So what’s behind Japan’s moss craze? Is it a random, flash-in-the-pan fad? Or is it more deeply rooted in Japanese values, customs and aesthetics?
Eastern sensibilities

Of the roughly 12,000 species of moss worldwide, Japan possesses a whopping 2,500 varieties – a relative windfall for enthusiasts devoted to tracking down, studying and documenting their different forms. Japan’s humid climate creates the perfect conditions for the plant to thrive, and gazing at moss during Japan’s hot, humid summers can actually have a relaxing effect (one reason many will hang moss balls under the eaves of their houses).

Perhaps due to its prevalence on the island nation, moss is deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Most Japanese gardens, also known as Zen gardens, have moss. (A Japanese garden is thought to be incomplete without the plant.) And the Japanese national anthem even contains the word “moss.” (In English: “May your world go on for thousands of years / Until pebbles merge into one giant rock and covered with moss.”)
http://theconversation.com/whats-behind-japans-moss-obsession-50500
Please Subscribe to my Channel and
Follow me on Social Media:
My Twitter: https://twitter.com/MellowinJapan
My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mellowinjapan/
FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/MellowinJapan/
Website: http://www.mellowinjapan.com/
Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFbMJbRJAGhwiFEd39vt4hg

Thanks For Watching
Peace!!!

21 Comments

  1. B molitor

    at times, the sound editing is like being stabbed in the face… also, hang on, this is NOT your video… does NHK know you're collecting views and ad revenue on THEIR CONTENT?

  4. Messy Times

    Moss was fun but the preachy bullshit about turning off my air conditioning to save energy while he burns jet fuel flying around the world to do cool stuff was a little much.

  7. Kimberly Patton

    As a horticulturist and plant lover (since before I can even remember!) I've always admired the luxuriousness of moss! It is , to me, the Velvet of the plant world! It is so beautiful!

  8. Kimberly Patton

    As a horticulturist , THIS is the ultimate secret to growing ANY plant well and successfully healthy and happy at 10:17! Profound advice! The world is made a paradise by the beauty of plants ! Mosses actually are essential to producing compounds which break down even the hardest of rock over time, they thrive in acidic areas..

  16. Anne Lessick

    I remember going to a fancy garden center in Wisconsin and asking for the moss. The clerk replied “you mean chemicals to kill it!?!” Scandalous to me, but shows the American view. I have been seen frequently in my yard, pulling the grass stems out from between the moss. For hours.

  19. Holilurrohman Rais

    I love nature programs its make an education to every one. To save the earth from deforestation ..and salam… from Indonesia thanks NHK….

Write A Comment

Pin