HALLOWEEN JAPANESE GARDENS 2023
GHOSTLY WOODLAND WALK
This is a unique experience which runs by day and is very much aimed at ‘Little Monsters’. Ghosts, ghouls, witches and skeletons will lurk in the woodlands, strange sounds and noises will add to this haunting walk. Adults and Children can also enjoy the story of the gardens and follow the normal discovery and fairy trails but be warned you may meet many strange creatures as you enter into the Woodlands.
SUSTAINABLE COTTON THREAD ART INSTALLATION
WORKING TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE HALLOWEEN….The next few weeks up to Oct 18th will see our CottonThread Art Installation inspired by Sean Corcoran being developed. As we thrive to make our events more sustainable, once again we will create an installation in our Woodlands using cotton string to replace plastic webbing that is usually used for making cobwebs. We are using organic cotton string to create large walk-through canopies between the trees. Cotton is a natural material, it’s a renewable resource and it’s biodegradable. Adults and Children can gaze out through the geometric shapes created by the string giving a whole other perspective on the landscape around them. Although this is a stand alone installation it will sit in the woodlands complimenting our Halloween Ghostly Woodland Walk in a very eerily way. This Installation is being created by the artistic members of our staff who are artists in their own right.
STORY TELLING THEME: SPIRITS OF KWAIDAN FOREST
STORYTELLING – There will be Adult and Children’s Storytelling at weekends leading up to Halloween. Adults can be thrilled by Japanese Ghost stories from Lafcadio Hearn’s Kwaidan, Children will hear similar or shortened versions of these classic ghostly tales.
CHILDREN’S STORYTELLING:
Saturday 21st : (11am – 12pm)
Sunday 22nd: (3pm – 4pm)
Saturday 28th: (3pm – 4pm)
Sunday 29th: (11am – 12pm)
ADULT STORYTELLING: 2pm
(Saturday 21st and 28th, Sunday 22nd and 29th)
SPIRITS REPRESENTED IN GHOSTLY WALK
This year’s ghostly woodland walk includes a special section dedicated to Lafcadio Hearn’s Kwaidan, themed ‘The Spirits of Kwaidan Forest’ can be found amidst the trees in the woodlands. See if you can identify them when you visit over Halloween.
- Hoichi the Earless – Hoichi, a blind musician, was taken night after night by demons to a ghostly audience. The only way he could protect himself was by writing holy texts upon every part of his body.
- Yuki-onna – Yuki-onna is the snow witch. Her ghostly breath can freeze a man to death.
- The Boy who Drew Cats – A boy loved to draw cats on every surface. He continued to do so as an adult, drawing cats all over the inside of a temple. When he fell asleep, monstrous rats tried to attack him, but the cats came to life and protected him in the night.
- Mujina – A Mujina is a faceless ghostly woman. She appears to people who are travelling on lonely roads at night.
- Goblin Spider – This foul creature spins webs to trap unsuspecting visitors. When you see webs, you know the goblin spider is nearby.
- Fragments – A man climbs a crumbling hill made of fragments. As he nears the top, he realises that he is on a mountain of human skulls and bones. Each one represents a past life.
