URL:   http://www.mtholyoke.edu/  Name: Wa-Shin-An Japanese Tea House and Meditation Garden    Alternate Name: Mount Holyoke College Japanese Meditation Garden  Address: 50 College Street  Mailing Address:   City: South Hadley  State: Massachusetts  Postal Code: 01075-1423  Country: UNITED STATES  Latitude/Longitude: lat=42.255812; long=-72.576527 Find Gardens Nearby Weather:   Phone: +1.413.538.2000  Fax:   E-Mail:   Contact:   Designer(s): Osamu Shimizu  Contruction Date: 1984  Public/Private: PUBLIC  Hours:   Admission: no admission fee  Added to JGarden: 5/10/2003  Last Updated: 5/10/2003  Sources: Mt Holyoke College web site: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/cic/facils/cultural.shtml  JGarden Description: Literally, 'Peace-Mind-House', Wa-Shin-An is an meditation garden and tea house affording students and visitors the opportunity to experience the silence and subtlety of the non-Western spiritual tradition. Built in 1984, it is located on the top floor of Eliot House. The garden was designed by landscape artist Osamu Shimizu, and the teahouse was built by architect Teruo Hara who said, 'My main purpose is to create a very quiet space which somehow shows people that there are different solutions.' Tours are provided by student guides (kagi) daily, and tea ceremonies are generally held every week. Reservations are required for the tea ceremonies and are accepted at the front desk in the Eliot House lobby one-week prior to the ceremony. Groups and classes may arrange for special tours by calling the Eliot House office. Meditation instruction is offered. And private tea lessons may be arranged on an individual basis with the Wa-Shin-An tea mistress and consultant. In addition to tea ceremony, zazen meditation sessions are held twice weekly in the garden.

Aoyama Cemetary Not the snows of Fuji Nor the auspicious plume     Of the white heron Nor the sea-foam of Atami     Is so white As the cherries of Aoyama:     Letting fall The freshness of evanescence     On the carved stones of the dead.   John M. Steadman   20th Century