Gezicht op de Koishikawa Koraku-en tuinen in Tokyo, Japan before 1893

This image shows the Koishikawa Koraku-en gardens in Tokyo, captured by Kazumasa Ogawa with photographic techniques. The careful arrangement of natural elements serves as powerful symbols in Japanese garden design, evoking an emotional and spiritual response. Consider the image of a single, carefully placed tree, a motif that echoes across time and cultures. In ancient Greece, the tree symbolized the axis mundi, the center of the world, a concept mirrored in the Japanese Shinto tradition, where trees are often seen as the dwelling places of spirits, the kami. The weeping willow, a symbol of sorrow in the West, appears here transformed. Its cascading branches, mirrored in the water, evoke a sense of tranquility and reflection rather than grief. This subtle shift demonstrates how symbols are charged with new meaning as they travel across time and cultures, adapting to the collective memories of different societies. These symbols speak to a deeper, shared human experience, engaging our subconscious on a profound level.