The Gardens of cofunia
A Place to Awaken the Senses and Reconnect with Nature
The sounds and scents of nature, the feel of soil in your hands — in today’s world full of convenience, we may have drifted away from these simple connections.
The gardens at cofunia offer a gentle pause from everyday life. They invite you to touch the plants, listen to the sounds of insects, and open your senses to the changing seasons.
A Garden of Cycles, Rooted in Everyday Living
This is a garden designed to grow with nature — not against it.
— A kitchen sink once used over 70 years ago now serves as a water station for garden tasks.
— Discarded roof tiles have been repurposed into a keyhole-shaped herb garden.
— Stone channels allow water and air to flow naturally, helping the soil to breathe.
From what you can see to what lies hidden, the garden is full of systems that work in harmony with the natural world.
Stories Living in the Garden
— Spiral Garden & Biotope Pond (Inspired by Kofun Shape) —
Using stones originally found on-site, we created a spiral-shaped garden and a small pond, modeled after a “zenpo-koen-fun”, keyhole-shaped burial mound. Herbs grow in drier areas, while moisture-loving plants thrive around the water.
— Keyhole Garden (Upcycled Roof Tiles) —
A circular herb garden made from old roof tiles once used as building material. It grows herbs and edible plants used for cooking and seasonal flavoring.
— Green Roof —
The vines covering the earth shed’s roof are more than just decorative. They serve as habitats for small creatures and help gently connect the building to the surrounding garden.
What You Can Do in the Gardens
Touch, taste, try — experience time with plants.
In the gardens at cofunia, you'll find plants that have long supported people’s lives.
This is a place not just to observe plants, but to explore how they can be used, tasted, and woven into everyday life.
Plants You May Encounter:
- Kuromoji (Spicebush)
Its fragrant branches are used as picks for traditional sweets.
Leaves can be brewed into tea, added to baths, or added to hot pots for a soothing scent.
- Kuchinashi (Cape Jasmine) Fruit
Known for its vivid yellow dye, used in foods like “takuan” pickles and chestnut rice.
- Akamigashiwa (Mallotus)
Cherished for its soft, sturdy leaves — used in traditional crafts such as stencil dyeing.
- Haran (Aspidistra)
Used to line dishes or for decorative purposes.
These leaves are not only beautiful — they also have natural antibacterial properties.
- Tea Plant Blossoms
Small white flowers that can be blended into tea or dried like potpourri for their gentle fragrance.
- Jinchoge (Daphne)
One of Japan’s “Three Great Fragrant Trees”. Its sweet, citrusy scent welcomes you at the gate as spring approaches.
- Benibasumomo (Purple-leaf Plum)
A gentle sign of spring, with soft pink blossoms and striking red shoots — often mistaken for cherry blossoms.
- Yusuraume (Nanking Cherry)
White blossoms like plum or cherry trees, followed by small, tangy red fruits — a nostalgic flavour, perfect for making fruit liqueur.
- Momiji (Japanese Maple)
In spring, new leaves emerge red before turning green — a subtle transformation that reflects the changing seasons.
- Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)
Standing beside the cofunia stone sign, this tree symbolises protection and happiness, quietly watching over visitors.
- Purple-leaf Mizuna, Chickweed, Vetch
In the Spiral Garden, vegetables and wild herbs grow side by side. Spring brings blooming mizuna flowers and cheerful wild greens, adding colour to the garden.
Meeting these plants is more than a sensory delight — it’s a quiet moment of rediscovery. Here, small insights arise: how to live more closely with nature, how to bring its gifts into your daily life.
These gardens hold the wisdom of living with the earth.
How many did you find?
Somewhere in the gardens, seven miniature Kofun shapes are quietly waiting to be found. Look closely at the stones, the layout of the path, or even up at the roof…
They are cofunia’s gentle gift to those who take the time to notice.