Title
Every Day Can Be a Good Day 🌿 A Clear Tokyo Morning with Two Bonsai | Day 593

Description
Day 593 🌿
August 19, 2026 — 5:45 AM
Tokyo, Japan

Good morning from Tokyo.

It is still warm and humid this morning, but the air feels unusually clear and fresh.

The sky is bright and blue, with only a few clouds.

It is one of those quiet summer mornings when simply looking at the sky makes the beginning of the day feel a little different.

This morning, I checked my two bonsai again — Asahiyama Sakura and Serissa.

Yesterday, I removed some of the moss from the Asahiyama Sakura.

When I looked at it again this morning, the moss had not spread.

The Serissa also looked calm today.

I could not see any insects on the surface of the moss, and it did not appear to be dry.

Nothing dramatic has happened.

No flowers have suddenly appeared.

There has been no big change.

But perhaps that is exactly why today’s Zen phrase came to mind:

日々是好日 — Hibi Kore Kōjitsu

It is often translated as:

“Every day is a good day.”

But I do not think it simply means that every day must be happy, comfortable, or perfect.

Some days bring problems.

Some days bring small improvements.

And some days seem to bring almost no change at all.

With bonsai, every morning is slightly different.

The moss may be dry one day and moist the next.

An insect may appear and then disappear.

A branch may weaken.

Or everything may simply remain quiet.

Rather than deciding immediately whether the day is “good” or “bad”, perhaps we can first notice what is actually here.

This morning, the sky is clear.

The moss has not spread on the Asahiyama Sakura.

The Serissa is not dry, and I cannot see any insects on its surface.

These are small observations, but they belong to this particular morning.

Hibi Kore Kōjitsu.

Today does not need to be extraordinary to have value.

On this clear and humid Tokyo morning, I’ll spend a little more time with these two bonsai and simply accept today as it is. 🌿

Broadcasting from Japan. Please subscribe to the channel.

Hashtags
#Bonsai,#Zen,#Japan,#Tokyo,#HibiKoreKojitsu,#JapaneseCulture,#AsahiyamaSakura,#Serissa,#TokyoMorning,#Mindfulness,#BonsaiLife,#EveryDayIsAGoodDay

Title
Look Beyond the Surface 🌿 Bonsai & Zen from Japan | Day 592

Description
Day 592 🌿
Tokyo, Japan

Good morning from Tokyo.

I’m Japanese, and I’m sharing this channel from Japan in English.

Today is warm and humid in Tokyo. The sky is bright but rather cloudy, and I can hear cicadas outside.

This morning, I checked my two bonsai — Asahiyama Sakura and Serissa.

At the moment, the moss seems to be the healthiest part of both.

Under the Serissa’s moss, it still feels quite moist.

The Asahiyama Sakura, however, is beginning to dry out, so it looks as though it may need some water.

Today’s Japanese Zen phrase is:

見性成仏 — Kenshō Jōbutsu

In simple terms, it reminds us not to judge only by what we see on the surface.

Two bonsai may look similar, but their condition underneath can be quite different.

So they may not need the same care.

Look carefully at what is really there, and respond to what each one needs now.

On this humid Tokyo morning, with the sound of cicadas in the background, I’ll keep watching these two small bonsai one detail at a time. 🌿

Broadcasting from Japan. Please subscribe to the channel.

https://www.youtube.com/@Zen-Bonsai-Vibes

#Bonsai,#Zen,#Japan,#Tokyo,#KenshoJobutsu,#JapaneseCulture,#AsahiyamaSakura,#Serissa,#Cicadas,#BonsaiLife

Title
Look Beyond the Surface 🌿 Bonsai & Kenshō Jōbutsu | Day 592

Description
Day 592 🌿
Tokyo, Japan

Good morning from Tokyo.

It’s humid today. The sky is bright but mostly cloudy, and I can hear cicadas outside.

This morning, I checked my two bonsai: Asahiyama Sakura and Serissa.

For both trees, the moss currently looks like the healthiest part.

Under the Serissa’s moss, it still feels moist.

But the Asahiyama Sakura is becoming drier, so it looks like it may need some water.

Today’s Japanese Zen phrase is:

見性成仏 — Kenshō Jōbutsu

In Zen, it refers to seeing one’s true nature and awakening to it.

Looking at my bonsai makes me think about this in a simple way.

At first, I may only notice that there are no flowers or that the branches do not look healthy.

But when I look more carefully, I notice something else.

The moss is still alive.

And although the two bonsai may look similar from the outside, the moisture beneath their moss is different.

So they do not necessarily need the same care.

Kenshō Jōbutsu.

Don’t judge only by what you see on the surface.

Look carefully at what is really there, and respond to what each one needs now.

On this humid Tokyo morning, with cicadas singing outside, I’ll keep observing these two small bonsai one detail at a time. 🌿

Broadcasting from Japan. Please subscribe to the channel.

Hashtags
#Bonsai,#Zen,#Japan,#Tokyo,#KenshoJobutsu,#JapaneseCulture,#AsahiyamaSakura,#Serissa,#Cicadas,#Mindfulness,#BonsaiLife

TitleKeep Going Through Hard Times 🌿 Bonsai & Gashin Shōtan | Day 591

DescriptionDay 591 🌿Tokyo, Japan

Good morning from Tokyo.

The sky is cloudy today, and it feels a little humid.

Some branches of my Serissa are starting to dry out.

On the surface of my Asahiyama Sakura, I noticed something that looks like mold, so I’m going to remove it.

Today’s phrase is:

臥薪嘗胆 — Gashin Shōtan

This old expression comes from Chinese history and is also well known in Japan.

In simple terms, it means:

Endure hardship, remember your goal, and keep going.

When a bonsai is not doing well, it is easy to feel disappointed.

A branch may dry out.

Mold may appear.

Flowers may not bloom.

But one difficult day does not decide the whole story.

So today, I will remove what needs to be removed, check the condition carefully, and continue the small care I can give.

Gashin Shōtan.

Hard times can become part of a longer journey.

From cloudy Tokyo, I’ll keep caring for these two bonsai, one day at a time. 🌿

Broadcasting from Japan. Please subscribe to the channel.

Hashtags#Bonsai,#Japan,#GashinShotan,#JapaneseCulture,#Tokyo,#Serissa,#AsahiyamaSakura,#Perseverance,#LifeLessons,#BonsaiLife

Title
Look Directly at What Is Here 🌿 Bonsai & Jikishi Ninshin | Day 591

Description
Day 591 🌿
Tokyo, Japan

Good morning from Tokyo.

The sky is cloudy today, and the air feels a little humid.

Some branches of my Serissa are starting to dry out.

On the surface of my Asahiyama Sakura, I noticed something that looks like mold, so I’m going to remove it.

Today’s Japanese Zen phrase is:

直指人心 — Jikishi Ninshin

It can be understood as looking directly into your own mind and heart.

When I look at my bonsai, I naturally hope they will become healthy again and that the flowers will bloom.

But before thinking about the result, I need to see what is actually in front of me.

A drying branch is a drying branch.
If there is something like mold, I remove it.

And I can also look at myself.

Am I worrying too much?
Am I expecting results too quickly?

Jikishi Ninshin.

Look directly at reality, and at the same time, look directly at your own mind.

From a cloudy Tokyo, I’ll keep doing the small things I can do today. 🌿

Broadcasting from Japan. Please subscribe to the channel.

Hashtags
#Bonsai,#Zen,#Japan,#Tokyo,#JikishiNinshin,#JapaneseCulture,#Serissa,#AsahiyamaSakura,#Mindfulness,#BonsaiLife

🎙️ Tokyo Ghost Stories #1 | Oiteke-bori — A Mysterious Voice from Fukagawa

I’m Japanese, and today I’m recording this story from Fukagawa itself.

This is a place where modern Tokyo and the memory of old Edo still meet.

Today, I’d like to share an old Japanese folk tale associated with Fukagawa.

This is not a confirmed historical event.

It is a story that has been passed down as part of Japanese folklore.

Its name is—

Oiteke-bori.

Today, Fukagawa is part of modern Tokyo.

People live here, trains pass nearby, and the streets are filled with everyday life.

But imagine this area hundreds of years ago, during the Edo period.

Fukagawa was closely connected with rivers, canals, and waterways.

And at night, there were none of the bright city lights that illuminate Tokyo today.

Imagine walking alone beside the dark water.

The sound of water.

The sound of the wind.

And then…

a voice.

A voice coming from somewhere you cannot see.

According to the old tale, one night a man was fishing near the water.

It was a good night for fishing.

He had caught plenty of fish and decided it was time to go home.

He gathered his catch and began to walk away.

Then, from somewhere near the dark water, he heard a voice.

“Oiteke…”

In Japanese, it carries the sense of—

“Leave it behind…”

The man stopped.

He looked behind him.

Nobody was there.

Perhaps it was only his imagination.

So he continued walking.

Then he heard it again.

“Oiteke…”

He walked faster.

Again—

“Oiteke…”

Something hidden in the darkness seemed to be telling him not to take his catch home.

The man became frightened.

He ran.

He kept running until he finally reached home.

At last, he was safe.

Or so he thought.

He went to check the fish he had caught.

And then he discovered something strange.

The fish were gone.

Not one remained.

So what had called to him from the darkness?

Over the years, different versions of the legend have offered different explanations.

Some connect the mystery with supernatural beings from Japanese folklore.

Some versions mention a kappa, a strange creature traditionally associated with water.

Others connect the story with a tanuki, an animal that appears in many Japanese folk tales involving tricks and mysterious events.

But perhaps the mystery is more interesting without an answer.

Remember, this is folklore—not a documented historical incident.

Yet telling this story here in Fukagawa gives it a different feeling.

Because right now, I’m in Tokyo.

In Fukagawa.

The modern city is all around me.

But this area still has a long relationship with water and with the history of Edo.

Perhaps hundreds of years ago, someone stood somewhere around here…

looked toward the dark water…

and told another person the story of Oiteke-bori.

And today, I’m telling it again.

From Fukagawa, Tokyo, Japan.

So imagine that one night you are walking beside the water.

Everything is quiet.

And suddenly, from somewhere in the darkness, you hear—

“Oiteke…”

You keep walking.

Then once more—

“Oiteke…”

Would you turn around?

Thank you for listening to this story from Tokyo.

I’ll see you again for another mysterious tale from Japan.

August 13, 2026 — 5:45 AM
Tokyo, Japan

It is 5:45 in the morning.

The sky is cloudy, but it is not raining.

When I listen carefully, I can hear the sound of bell crickets outside.

Summer is still here, but their voices make me feel that autumn is slowly getting closer.

This morning, I am once again looking at my two bonsai:

Asahiyama Sakura and Serissa.

Yesterday, because of the strong rain and wind from the typhoon, I moved both bonsai from the balcony into the house for safety.

I also gave them some water.

Their branches and moss balls still look weak, and I don’t know what will happen to them from here.

But today, I look at them again.

Today’s Zen phrase is:

百尺竿頭進一歩 — Hyakushaku Kantō Ippo o Susumu

It can be understood as:

Even when you have reached the top, take one more step beyond.

Yesterday, I protected my bonsai from the storm.

I gave them water.

But that was not the end.

Today, I can look at them again.

Look at the branches.

Look at the moss.

See whether anything has changed since yesterday.

I don’t need to make a big move.

Maybe one small thing I can do today is enough.

That can also be one more step.

Outside, the bell crickets continue to sing.

Summer does not suddenly become autumn overnight.

The seasons move forward little by little.

Perhaps caring for bonsai is similar.

From yesterday to today.

From today to tomorrow.

Hyakushaku Kantō Ippo o Susumu.

Reaching this point does not mean the journey is over.

From here, take one more step.

This morning, as I watch my two small bonsai, I also listen to the subtle change of the seasons.

5:45 AM in Tokyo.

A new day begins with the sound of bell crickets and the feeling that autumn is getting a little closer. 🌿

🎥 Title

📝 Description

This morning, I took a closer look at my Asahiyama Sakura bonsai.

I noticed something on the moss that looked like mold. Some of the branches are also drying out.

Today’s Japanese Zen phrase is:

即今当処 — Sokkon Tōsho

It points us back to something very simple:

Be here, right now.

I can’t go back and change yesterday.

I don’t know what will happen to this bonsai tomorrow.

But I can pay attention to what is in front of me today.

Is it really mold?
Is the moss simply changing?
Does it need water?

I don’t need to have every answer immediately.

I can look carefully, notice what has changed, and do what I can now.

Maybe that is one of the quiet lessons of caring for bonsai.

Not yesterday. Not tomorrow.
Here. Right now.

Today, I’ll keep watching over my Asahiyama Sakura and Serissa, one small step at a time. 🌿

📺 YouTube
Zen Bonsai Vibes⁠

#SokkonTosho,#Zen,#Bonsai,#JapaneseCulture,#Japan,#Tokyo,#AsahiyamaSakura,#Serissa,#Mindfulness,#LearnJapanese