Into the Japanese Garden
- Michael Jay Tucker's explosive-cargo
- Jul 27
- 4 min read
So last time, I had us just entering the “Japanese Garden” at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. We had just seen the striking Kokedama Forest--hundreds and hundreds of green spheres, each supporting a growing tree.
I hope you get a chance to see it. But, as I said before, I think that it closed in December of 2024. I sure, though, it will reappear somewhere else quite soon.
Anyway, we moved on into the rest of the garden. Here there were rows and rows of various plants, some in bloom, some not. And there was several wooden buildings (small and large) done in Japanese style. Many of were not open, and some even had an abandoned feel. I’m guessing they were just closed for the season, but their quietude did contribute to the “Mono no Aware (bittersweet beauty)” of the place.
ABOUT THE PHOTOS: Two today, and a video. First, the Moon Bridge at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. Quite beautiful. Second, a Japanese-style building on the grounds. Also lovely.
Then, the video. Everyone seemed to enjoy the Runway ML video of me feeding the metal stature of the armadillo a while back. So here’s another one my modified photos. I gave Martha a Hello Kitty balloon for Mother’s Day this year, and, naturally, I took a picture of her with it. (She’s into Hello Kitty.) Then, I made the photo look like a video of her kissing the balloon. Actually, the balloon was supposed to kiss *her,* but the program couldn’t quite get the message.
It hasn’t anything to do with the Japanese Garden, but Hello Kitty *is* from Japan, so, a connection. Kind of. In a way. Okay, not at all, but still...
We saw the “moon bridge,” one of those classical Asian arched bridges that look a bit like a crescent moon itself.(*) It spanned one of the many little steams that fill the garden. I saw some younger people actually crossing it. We made no such attempt, both because of the ever present mobility issues, but also because (or so I’m told) in classical gardens Moon Bridges aren’t meant to be walked across. They are simply ornamental. Though, apparently, their origins were as functional bridges, meant to used as ways of getting across water, and only later became works of art.
The path took us around lakes and ponds. We saw a waterfall and a pagoda, and schools of coy fish. We spotted birds overhead and in the trees. We saw “the dry garden” and crossed “The Checkerboard bridge.” We went past the “Lake Arbor” and “the Suzuki Garden.” And on and on.
It was all calm, and serene, and very, very pretty.
I don’t know how long we wandered. We did, however, for quite a while. Then, somewhere along the way, we realized we were tired.
But, rather alarmingly, we were also a little lost. You see, the place is gorgeous...I mean, drop dead gorgeous...but it’s *big.* And certain vast masses of leaves and trees that aren’t, you know, in flower look kinda alike. And it’s amazing how much one genuine bamboo simulated Japanese building -- whether tea house or Shinto temple -- looks kinda like every other one. So, we’re talking, more or less, rat in a maze. With me as the aforesaid rodent. But with fewer whiskers and flatter feet.
Plus, it was getting hot, and I was becoming concerned about Martha. I finally found her a convenient wall and asked her sit on it. I then dashed about, trying to find a quick and easy way back to the main entrance. But, unfortunately, neither the map on my phone or on the one on the handout we’d gotten when we bought tickets seemed to be any use. Either I was completely turned around. Or I was completely misreading the maps. Or I was just dumb as a brick. Take your pick.
After much thrashing and bashing about, I discovered a pathway that took us down to a paved road that ran inside the Gardens. From there, we managed to catch the Garden shuttle (a little bus, that is) and that returned us to the entrance.
So, the end of the visit was a little disconcerting, but...really...all in all, and in the greater scheme of things...we had a marvelous time. And I’m certain that next time we’re in Fort Worth, we’ll visit it again and try another of the gardens. (Only, this time, I’m either getting a better map or leaving a trail of breadcrumbs. )
Anyway, that was our day at the Botanical Garden.
But stay tuned. There’s one more little adventure to come. Next time, we’ll go back to the Stockyard District, which is Fort Worth’s tourist area, kind of like Albuquerque’s Old Town.
However, there’s going to be a little change.
This time...for once...I’m going to be brutally honest about the Cattle Drive reenactments.
Which, on reflection, strikes me as really... quite... painfully.... sad.
More to come.
Footnotes:
* The Moon Bridge has a wikipedia entry here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_bridge
Copyright©2025 Michael Jay Tucker
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