Japanese cities' lack of seasonal balance due to a man-made biodiversity

[pipokun]

More than Europeans or Americans ? 1/4 of the Japanese live in the Greater Tokyo, and another fourth in other big cities of over 1 million inhabitants. Parks are much scarcer in Japanese cities than in Western cities. Tokyo is only concrete as far as the eye can see (even from the top of a tower). I really don't think that modern Japanese are more used to see nature, or are closer to nature than almost any other people in the world. It is a bit ironic that Japan's native religion (Shintoism), which is all about the relation between humans and nature, has resulted in Japan being one of the country the most alienated from nature.

I guess you've travelled a lot around Japan, but not Tokyo. If your wife was from Okutama, western part of edit: TOKYO, you might complain how boring Tokyo life is.
And forest coverage ratio...
Tokyo>Your country (of course, this is only Tokyo, does not include kanagawa, saitama or other neibouring cities)
But, population density in Tokyo and your country...
So how many Belgians think biodiversity includes your great Botanic Garden?
For me, a botanic garden is just a garden.

[Maciamo]

So how many Belgians think biodiversity includes your great Botanic Garden?
For me, a botanic garden is just a garden.

No, that was just an example in response to Elizabeth's post. The actual number of plants in a country does not mean much, because nowadays species are imported from numerous countries. That is why it becomes difficult to say which species is native and which is not. How long does it take for a species to become "native" ? Cherry trees were imported from China to Japan. Are they native ? If yes, why not a import from 100 or 50 or 20 years ago ? My point was that there are few different kinds of trees in Japanese cities, because Japanese people like to have a lot of the same trees (e.g. gingko, cherries...) rather than a lot of diversity. I guess it matches the Japanese concept of harmony through homogeneity.

The 2nd point of this thread was that Autumn in Japanese cities was very shortlived (only about 2 weeks of "koyo") because of this lack of diversity in trees, while in Belgium the "koyo season" matches almost exactly the 3 months of Autumn. This is also true for flowers and blossoms in Spring. Therefore, Belgian (and most other European) seasons are more clearly marked than in Japan. Therefore, why do the Japanese think of their 4 seasons are more clear-marked ?

If I were Chinese I would ask the Japanese government for a public apology for having taught its people lies about the seasons which have deeply offended trees in my country, because the spirit of the trees in the parks heard Japanese tourists say that Japanese trees had more colourful leaves in autumn.

[gaijinalways]

Actually the Great Kanto Plain covering from Tokyo to Hiroshima and something like 85% of the population of Japan. I hardly see much nature in that big metro spread. Luckily though, there is quite a bit of small gardens in Tokyo, but as Maciamo related, very little open park areas (some 18% compared to London/NYC at about 60%).

Add to that the Japanese consideration of nature includes the sentiment that artifical nature in arranged gardens is somehow nature made better! Uh sure, many areas in Europe and the US are reforested farmland in some cases, but these areas aren't ridgely planted in symetrical rows as well bending branches to make nice shapes. Natural indeed.

taehyun posted

Japanese want to know and to be in contact with their nature, not just to watch it or use it...They have smaller amount of plants, because they want to know every type, for it is a living creature.

Uh, they hardly seem to know them, so in what sense are you referring to? Some Japanese do seem to enjoy going out in nature, though others are dreadly afraid of it, insects, etc. Remember some Japanese consider living in an urbanized suburb to be living in inaka!

By the way Maciamo, personally, I wouldn't worry too much about comparing gardens as that doesn't support your main points as well. Remember, man-made gardens are hardly 'natural'.

[caster51]

i think the important thing is the mind that feel four season.
then it is how we must express the season in the cocreat jungle like festival, food , ceremony, fashion........

[Mike Cash]

Actually the Great Kanto Plain covering from Tokyo to Hiroshima and something like 85% of the population of Japan.

From Tokyo to where????