Thinking of Chomei-ji 長命寺 in Omihachiman: seasonal display, Grand Rapids

For the past several years the Christmas and New Year's exhibition at Meijer Gardens has included some of the landmark houses and businesses around the city of Grand Rapids. But also there are famous buildings from the sister-cities that G.R. has in Ghana, Italy, Japan, Mexico, and Poland.

miniature of Chomei-ji 長命寺 in Omi-Hachiman city, Shiga-ken (2019 Grand Rapids)

All of the buildings are made from pieces of plants; for example, the toadstools at the base of this pagoda. An image search for "omihachiman chomeiji" turns up many pictures of the actual building that can be visited in Shiga prefecture, close to the southeast shore of  Lake Biwa. There is also some information about the significance of Chomei (long life)-ji (temple) on Wikipedia-Japanese, https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/長命寺

For Omi-Hachiman city in English on Wikipedia, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ōmihachiman.

Early December 2019 snow, Japanese pond and path at Meijer Garden

Scenes from the beginning of December in Grand Rapids 49525 at www.meijergardens.org
(click on the photo for larger view)

panorama with tea house in middle distance, waterfalls at the opposite shore

tea house to the right and early ice starting to form in the middle distance on the pond of the Japanese-style garden

visitors to the Japanese-style garden are greeted with this stonework

waterfall flows and helps to keep the pond oxygenated during the ice season

sculpture by Zhang Huan borders the pond pathway

part of the covered boat landing and tea house across the water

gently arched bridge in middle distance, tea house in foreground

peninsula (misaki, cape) with stone lantern at waterline

gazebo on the peninsula looks toward tea house (right) and hilltop

dry (rock) garden in Zen style, islands in a sea of pebble waves

hilltop viewing point shows the walkway of many turns in the distance