“Shigoto-hakken-den”
Akira Kawashima, a member of the comedy group “Kirin” was apprenticed to our company to experience training to be a gardener. In the episode titled “Kirin Kawashima X Kyoto Niwashi” of NHK’s program “Shigoto-hakken-den,” broadcast from 8:00 on September 6th, 2012.
On the first day, he experienced cleaning the garden of “Hoshinoya Kyoto” in Arashiyama as an apprentice. Then, he learnt how to do maintenance work on the Japanese garden in “Shosei-en,” a scenic site in Higashihongan-ji Temple. Finally, he tackled the difficult challenge of creating a garden in Kurodani Konkaikomyo-ji Temple. He accomplished the task under the strict direction of our gardener, Mitsuru Yamaguchi. When looking at the completed garden, he was moved to tears. The garden was named “Goen-no-niwa,” and our gardeners are still working on its maintenance.