The bamboo groove is frequently used in the Japanese gardens, because the bamboo is at the same time a symbol of flexibility (it bends in the wind but never breaks) and a symbol of longevity (it is green all around the year).

However, in the Tensha-en garden in Uwajima, bamboo has a very special place. The garden was designed by Date Munenori, the lord of the Uwajima domain at the end of the Edo Period, and for his garden he requested no less than 19 types of bamboo. The reason is that bamboo is a plant representative for the Date clan, being even featured of the family crest.

Tensha-en garden, Uwajima, Ehime

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