Kyoto: Zen Garden, Zen Mind (Private)

Our tour with Andrew through the zen gardens was a highlight of our time in Japan. He was very knowledgeable and passionate about the spaces and was a pleasure to spend the morning with. We will seek out another tour with him if we return to Kyoto.

Andrew is an exceptional guide. If you want to truly understand the history and meaning of these gardens, you could not ask for a better guide. We were a family with an 11 year old from NYC, and walked away having gained an extensive knowledge and appreciation for them that far exceeded our expectations. Andrew is an extremely friendly and relaxed guide and I highly recommend this tour!

Fantastic tour that gave us a deeper appreciation for Japanese culture. Andrew is a wonderful guide and manages to convey huge amounts of history and cultural insights into a thoughtful, engaging way. My college aged teenagers and I were fascinated and found the entire tour to be one of the highlights of our trip. We loved the gardens and would never have understood the symbolism and significance behind them if we’d just visited on our own. Andrew took us to an area of Kyoto we hadn’t visited before and thankfully avoided crowds. A memorable experience.

Andrew was fantastic! We found his tour incredibly informative and relaxing. He brought the gardens and stories to life! I highly recommend this tour as my family very much enjoyed it!

Japanese garden looks different to me now, I can see the depth of the gardens. Thank you for helping us see the various dimensions of Japanese living.

We did the half day Zen Garden tour. Andrew had incredible depth of knowledge in history, art, politics, garden design and spirituality. He had an easy going style and was intentional in curating an experience that provided beautiful views and limited crowds, with plenty of time to enjoy the spaces. We highly recommend Andrew as a guide.

Fantastic Tour! It was an unforgettable experience made even more meaningful by Andrew’s insightful explanations of the gardens and the principles of Buddhism.

Truly an amazing experience. Andrew's knowledge to Japanese culture and history was second to none. His background in gardens and Zen made this tour remarkable. I recommend Andrew to anyone who is planning a first time trip or who is a repeat visitor.

The Zen Garden / Zen Mind afternoon we spent with Andrew was probably one of the best tours we’ve had in our 40+ years of travel. As other reviews have noted, his deep knowledge and passion for Zen philosophy and traditional gardens and the understated way he shared it was enlightening. He increased our understanding of the outward beauty of the garden to their spiritual and meditative meanings. At the end of the tour, I was basically in awe of the genius in design and the skill in execution of the garden’s builders. I also carried away a different understanding of Zen meditation and have a renewed self-desire to slow down, observe, and truly embrace each day. So, how did Andrew do this all of this in an afternoon tour? I offer two examples. The first example was near the beginning. I found his response to a simple question I asked a masterclass in in tying the garden’s design and plants to the underlying meditation and spiritualism meanings. As we entered one garden, the trees had no leaves and overall there was not a lot of color as the various blossoms had faded. I wondered what it would look like 6-months later. Andrew didn’t reply directly and instead said that many people think of there being 4 seasons in a year but that In Japanese poetry and spiritualism there are 72 seasons of about 5 days each. He continued “Consider if you were to sit here each day and really watch the garden, to enjoy and to appreciate what it is on that day. It has its own life as it is. You’d notice how it slowly changed from the last 4-7 days. Something is always changing. In winter the water might be almost frozen over and the trees are bare. A week later it is a bit warmer. Mists start to develop and linger. Soon, there is more insect movement. The plum tree blossoms start to open. Birds start nesting. As the plum blossoms fall in 1-2 weeks the peach trees start to blossom and as they fade the cherry trees start, and so on through the year. Some things die by the winter and others live on but they are different than they were. And the cycle repeats”. He then tied the 72-seasons concept to Zen spiritual teachings: “Things always change and nothing is permanent. Be mindful and appreciate what you have today.” He finished saying that the garden’s designers tried to incorporate elements that would highlight each of the 72 seasons and encourage meditation. The other example was when he pointed to an area with some raked-gravel and a mound with 3 upright rocks in front on the other side of the gravel. Then, he painted a mental picture asking us to imagine being on an ocean and seeing a mountain in the distance with 3 figures at the shore. One was Budda, one was a goddess, and one was a child. He continued to tie the garden to the mental image. The gravel and lines were the ocean, the 3 upright rocks were the 3 figures, and the mound in back was the mountain. Lastly, he tied the design to Zen meditation and teaching where the Budda stone represented wisdom tranquility and enlightenment to remind us to cultivate inner peace and mindfulness; the Goddess stone (Kwannon) symbolized compassion, mercy, and feminism energy to remind us of selfless love and the interconnectedness of all beings and , the child’s stone (Seishi) represented youthful energy, innocence and potential to reignite a sense of childish wonder and openness. These are two examples. Do this tour. You won’t regret it.

Focused on traditions behind Japanese gardens; also basics about Shinto and Buddhist traditions and practices. Andrew was excellent, highly knowledgeable with a Master’s in landscape architecture and a personal interest in the philosophy and spiritual elements behind them

This tour with Andrew was the highlight of our tours in both Tokyo and Kyoto! He took us to places that were unique with less tourist traffic and we learned so much about Zen Buddhism and garden design that we would have never known. Highly highly recommend adding to your itinerary in Kyoto as it added so much to our experience and perspective!

Our Zen Garden, Zen Mind tour in Kyoto with Andrew was an unforgettable journey into the heart of Japanese Zen culture. From the moment we started, Andrew’s deep knowledge and passion for Zen philosophy, Kyoto’s history, and traditional gardens made the experience both enlightening and calming. He guided us through some of Kyoto’s most serene Zen gardens, explaining the symbolism behind the meticulously placed rocks, raked sand, and seasonal plantings. His storytelling and thoughtful insights helped us appreciate not just the beauty of these gardens, but also the meditative principles behind them. Andrew’s warm and engaging personality made the tour even more enjoyable. He encouraged us to slow down, observe, and truly embrace the tranquility of each space. The experience felt less like a standard tour and more like a meaningful cultural immersion. If you’re looking for a unique, peaceful, and educational experience in Kyoto, we highly recommend this tour with Andrew. It’s the perfect way to step away from the crowds and connect with the essence of Zen.

It’s super WONDERFUL! Really happy I made this decision to join this tour in my last day in Kyoto. Andrew is good and knowledgeable for garden, plants, and most importantly ZEN culture in Japan. You may not have time to take photo to try to keep memories in the future but you do enjoy every moments together with Andrew and listen his introduction and stories. Highly recommend for the people who don’t like crowded tour trips by photo visualize temple, shrine but really want to understand the culture inside and what spiritual mind from these temples, stones, gardens. All include ZEN master’s teach. It feels your soul be purified and enjoy happiness with Andrew.

This was one of the best tours I have done anywhere, on any subject. Andrew has deep knowledge of the design principles for Zen gardens, but also shared insights on Zen philosophy, Japanese history, and contemporary life in Kyoto. Highly recommended.

Andrew lead us in a half-day garden tour in Kyoto -- and it was, hands down, a highlight of our two-week trip to Japan. His insights into Zen gardening and Japanese culture and history were fascinating. We liked him even more than our other Japanese guides because he brought with him a deep knowledge of the country and gardening, having lived in Japan for several years, but also a unique perspective that only a newcomer expat could deliver. He is both a landscape architect but also a historian and armchair-sociologist of Japanese culture. Thanks, Andrew, for an insightful, enriching half day!

Andrew shared his deep understanding of Japanese gardens during this fascinating tour. We gained a new understanding and appreciation of both this art form and the Japanese culture. Great job Andrew!

Andrew has a great depth of knowledge of both the philosophy and construction of rock gardens, and added much to our appreciation and understanding of the gardens and their significance. His tour was the high point of our time in Kyoto.

It was a real eye-opening and insightful experience regarding Japanese aesthetics. If you have any question about Japanese religion, history or gardening, Andrew will surely answer it. He tells not only data but points out correlations too. Andrew's personality proves that he not only preaches but also lives Zen.

Through the lens of the Zen garden Andrew brought to life the religion, society, history and culture of Kyoto. He brought our focus to the meaning of the rock gardens so prevalent in Kyoto and the shrines and garden choices. He answered the many questions we had about living in Japan and experiencing it as a foreigner who worked with Japanese gardens. He enriched our trip immeasurably and I’d recommend this tour to everyone visiting this exquisite city.

Highly recommended for everyone! I’ve completely gained a new perspective on Japanese gardens after the tour. I signed up for the tour to gain insights into key concepts driving Japanese garden design. Andrew was amazing, friendly and I’m super appreciative of the knowledge he shared. While it was raining during our tour, the colors were more vibrant with the variation of green and didn’t cause any hiccups at all.

Andrew of AN Design is a remarkable guide. He brought the gardens to life in a way that made them more beautiful and meaningful. On our own, we would never have been able to appreciate the gardens as we did with him. Visiting Gardens in Kyoto was one of our top choices and he made it an unforgettable experience. We did not understand why it was so hard to find this tour on the TripAdvisor site, but we are glad that we did and we highly recommend him.

This was an excellent and unique tour that added valuable context for our trip. We learned about the gardens, Shintoism, and Buddhism, which are omnipresent in Kyoto. It was fascinating hearing about the meanings behind different garden arrangements. Not to mention, the sites we visited were stunning! Andy was a knowledgeable and calming presence throughout the tour. If you want to better understand the shrines, temples, and gardens that you’ll be stumbling across on your trip to Kyoto, then book this tour!

Andrew is knowledgeable, passionate, and shows a side of the zen gardens that you wouldn’t expect. I don’t regret this booking and I feel so far it’s the best experience of my trip.

Excellent tour! Andy shared lots of information and customised the tour to suit our interests. He stayed late to ensure all our needs and interests were satisfied.

We visited Kyoto in September 2023, as 6 adult family members. I mainly booked this tour for my dad, who has an interest in Japanese garden design, since I noticed that Andrew has a background in landscape. This was some of the most pleasant few hours we spent in Kyoto, and it was a wild success with every member of our tour group. Andrew was very gracious in answering my dad's questions about landscape design, plants, etc. My dad specifically said during the tour that he thought he "would like to spend a whole week with Andrew learning from him". After the tour and throughout the rest of the evening, my dad raved about the places we visited and the way Andrew taught us about the gardens. His specific words were that the tour was "10 out of 10" and that the afternoon was "beyond what he ever could have hoped for." The other members of our group had equally good things to say about the afternoon. On a personal level, I can say that the selection of gardens were not only exquisite and well-chosen, and were places that we would have missed without Andrew's careful curation of the afternoon, but that I appreciated Andrew's easy-going, humble personality and the quiet way he explained the spiritual symbolism of the spaces. I came away with a better understanding of Zen Buddhism and Buddhism as a whole. Since returning to the U.S., I have spent several moments contemplating what I learned about the beliefs being conveyed in the gardens. Andrew is an excellent guide and this tour was a gem. It we were to visit Kyoto again, we would certainly want to book more time with Andrew to learn about more of these stunning landscapes.

Andrew did an incredible job explaining the nuance and intention of each garden design, while keeping a pace that allowed us to really embrace and immerse ourselves in the garden. We took several tours on our trip to Japan and this was by far our favorite. Highly recommend a tour with Andrew!

I took this tour with my grandfather who is an avid Zen/Japanese garden fan. He and I loved it. Andrew gave an amazing tour through many Zen gardens and not only explained what their collective themes and meanings were but also would provide excellent insight into their creation and past history. The tour was extremely well paced and we never felt rushed and Andrew was more than willingly to answer any questions we had. Very insightful and knowledgeable on all the gardens and temples. My grandfather and I both learned quite a bit about Zen's beginning in Japan and influence on its culture. If you have any interest at all in the temples or gardens I would highly recommend this tour to you. Unquestionably this was money well spent. 5 out 5

Our crew of 5 (2 adults, 2 teenagers, and a kid) had a fantastic morning learning about Japanese zen gardens with our guide, Andrew. We saw 3 distinctive gardens and even got to feed some koi fish. The tour was perfectly paced and was never boring. Andrew was clearly passionate about these gardens and was able to answer every question we threw his way. He also offered insight into the history of the gardens and some stories hidden in the garden design. We did have to split into two groups to take a cab ride in the middle of the tour which went smoothly. Overall, we loved everything about this tour and learned so much!

My twin sister and I took the half day Zen Garden tour with Andrew this week and couldn’t recommend it more highly. Even if you don’t think you need this kind of detailed tour you will be rewarded with so much wisdom presented by Andrew in a friendly and extremely knowledgeable way. He custom fitted the temples we visited to our needs and interests. Just not having to navigate to these special, uncrowded places alone is a huge factor - we were more than happy with our experience .

Wonderful and peaceful afternoon. Andrew gave a great sampling of what Zen and Buddhism is about all while explaining how the gardens were designed in Zen like way. That the gardens had been created so many years ago and beautifully maintained to this day was a treat to witness. A friend of ours in California recommended this tour and I’m so glad we followed up

Andrew was very informative, and we learned a lot about the history of the gardens and the imagery portrayed in the designs. The location was not crowded, so it was quiet and peaceful.

I booked this trip back in 2018 when I visited Japan/Kyoto for the 1st time. It was such a wonderful experience that I am about to book it for a 2nd time as a treat for my Mother’s 70th birthday (as she loves flowers and gardens so much). I have been on many international excursions in my time, but this still remains up there as one of most memorable and best! Our guide was exceptionally well informed, was clearly passionate about Japanese Gardens and took us to incredible gardens to boot! I’m really looking forward to doing this excursion all over again and above all I’m very excited for my Mother who will get to experience it too!

Easily the best tour I did in kyoto/maybe all of Japan. I love gardening and zen meditation but there is an entire world of beauty, symbolism, and design philosophy that Andrew introduced me to. You will not forget the gardens this tour covers, simply majestic. Andrew was a wealth of knowledge he happily shared and answered all of my questions. This prepared me to better understand and appreciate the rest of my travels and garden visits throughout Japan, also got me thinking and inspired for my designing my own garden back home. Not to mention Andrew is just a very kind and fun guy. Big thanks to Andrew! If you are interested in zen and gardening this is a must in kyoto!

The tour was absolutely captivating and deeply spiritual adventure ; My wife and I enjoyed the immersion of discovering a the "Hidden Zen Garden" in Kyoto. Andrews thorough knowledge of the site help provide a unique window of understanding of Japanese Culture and its wonderful People & History.

Amazing on line tours with AnDesign, and I learned so much! I have joined Andrew on two on line tours this fall, "Sakamoto and the Monks of Hieizan" and "Zen Garden, Zen Mind". Both were full of fascinating information about special places in Kyoto, Mt. Hiei and the monks who live there, and temple gardens in and around Nanzen-ji Temple. Perfect for anyone who wants a beautiful experience and a virtual trip to Kyoto with a very thoughtful, interesting, and intelligent guide, Andrew William. Easy to sign up, and you can choose to be as quiet or as interactive as you wish during the on line tour. After each on line tour, I feel enriched by the experience and am inspired to learn more about Kyoto history, Zen Buddhism, Zen temple gardens, and Japan in general. Even if you know nothing about Zen gardens or Zen Buddhism, this is a truly meaningful and pleasant tour. A perfect way to spend a couple of hours and meet new folks who share an interest in learning and discovery. I hope Andrew continues to offer these tours, as I know many people would benefit from the experience.

A wonderful tour! If you love Japanese gardens, especially in combination with Zen, then go! His tours are amazing, almost spiritual. I've been to both Andrew's on-location tours in Kyoto, as well as a couple of his online-tours. I love both of them, and anytime I see a new online event I sign-up. It's been great that he started to offer online tours during the pandemic, as it has given me the chance to experience being in Kyoto and in the Japanese environment from home! My favorite online tour is hidden garden Zen immersion, and the on-location tour I went to was Zen garden, Zen mind. I'm planning to do the other ones next time I'm in Kyoto.

This was the second tour a group of old friends and I have done virtually with Andrew and it was as lovely and nourishing as I knew it would be. To be able to see the beauty of a Japanese Zen garden and Temple with someone as conscious and steeped in the traditions of Kyoto as Andrew is feeds the mind and senses. Andrew’s pace and voice are perfect for his role as guide, and his knowledge brings a focused awareness of the simple intricacies, harmonies, and meaning of the ancient and abiding arts of Japanese Zen culture.

One of the most amazing experiences ever, my wife and I both utterly enjoyed our time with Andrew, what we thought was a simple shrine tour turned out to be a inspiration to a more mindful and spiritual lifestyle. Andrew is not only knowledgeable but immensely passionate about the subject. I’ve attended his tours three times in 3 different periods and medium and recommended almost all of my friends and family to join his tours in Kyoto and online. I don’t usually leave reviews but andrew most definitely deserves one 10/10 到京都旅遊的必然之選👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

The five of us had an absolutely wonderful experience with Andrew on the Kyoto Zen Garden Immersion! I've attended many live tours around the world (pre-Covid) and am not easily impressed. Andrew delighted us with his thoughtful presentation. It was always very clear where we were "located" in the garden, and he offered insightful details on landscape as we moved through it. The tour inspired a rather eager discussion between us after it ended. Thank you, Andrew!

We have chosen to spend our Saturday morning with a couple of friends, on an online tour of “Kyoto Zen Garden, Zen Mind” with Andrew. Andrew is a super talented guide. On the virtual tour, he combines all his unique talents: landscape architecture, understanding of nature, photography, art, Japanese culture, and amazing guiding skills. The tour itself was excellent, we have come across a lot of new information, and really felt like we are travelling within the Zen gardens, a feeling that have certainly contributed to our sense of happiness which lasted throughout the day. The online tour format is excellent, Andrew have developed a smart and fun way to pass the experience through the screen. I myself am a tour guide, and I have received a lot of inspiration from Andrew regarding how to develop a successful format for online tours. We highly recommend, Romy & Chen from Tel-Aviv

Andrew's knowledge and passion is felt during the whole tour. His easy way and openness for questions invite us to explore the different aspects of the Gardens and beyond. Zen Gardens are known not only for the material beauty of plants, rocks or temples but Andrew took us to the meanders of the significance and hidden meanings of what we saw.

We took an in-person tour with Andrew in March of 2019 and were delighted to be able to revisit those sites virtually while also sharing them with friends across the US who shared our interest in gardens, but are unlikely to visit Japan in the near term. We were blown away to see how deeply affected our friends were by the virtual tour. And we were thrilled to be back in the space with Andrew's clear and passionate guidance. We can't recommend this tour highly enough, and look forward to exploring more of Andrew's trips virtually (and hopefully again in person in the not-too-distant future.)

I did an online tour of Otagi Nenbutsu Temple with Andrew and was really impressed with the whole experience. I joined in from Ireland while four other guests joined online from various parts of the US. At the beginning, Andrew took time to get to know us and why we were drawn to his online tour. As such, it felt a very personal experience; indeed, Andrew come across online as a very personable and engaged online guide. His own background is fascinating; originally from Maryland, he shared his career to date and what motivated him to settle in Kyoto where he has now lived for ten years. The tour is delivered using professional software package that combines maps, photography, video and mood music combined with Andrew's narrative. Notwithstanding that it is a virtual tour, it almost felt as if you were at the temple itself. After entering the temple, Andrew brings you around the temple, bringing you into many of the key buildings and presents meticulously-researched commentary. Although it was an online tour, thoughtfully, Andrew even had a short interval for guests who needed a comfort break. I also liked that Andrew shares the stories of the people (Buddhist priests and monks) who have worked tirelessly in recent decades to preserve the history and heritage of Otagi Nenbutsu. That made the experience all the more immersive. In conclusion, this was a most enjoyable experience. As and when Andrew develops more online tours, I will certainly be "on board". Certainly, if and when I get to Kyoto, I would also have no hesitation in signing up for his walking tours. Highly recommended!

Must Do! I had the benefit of taking this tour in person August 2020. I enjoy gardens and knew a few principles but Andrew blew me away with his knowledge, his passion, and the story telling that went with every placement of a rock or tree. I did this tour on my first day in Kyoto and it gave me a better knowledge base to appreciate other gardens the rest of the week. If I had taken this last, I would have missed out on so much. Andrew is native English, but his Japanese is fluent and he is well known at each place we went. The walk was easy, perfect pace for the hot day.

This is an exceptionally well run tour, and you should sign up for it without hesitation. Andrew has found a way to bring Nanjen-Ji into our homes. I have visited this temple in person and can say that this Zoom tour is informative, colorful and soothing. Andrew combines personal narrative with maps and photos all tied together seamlessly to create a smooth experience. He is an expert in Kyoto, garden design and the history of these places. If you are interested in Japan or gardens or Zen, then take this tour without hesitation. On our next trip to Kyoto, we plan to hire Andrew for other garden visits as well.

I joined this this tour online with a friend of mine . We are English speaking tour guides in Tokyo. I wanted to go over the basic philosophy of Zen and appreciate an off the beaten Zen garden in Kyoto. It was a big success! Andrew who is also a professional garden designer, showed us the beautiful and sacred world of Konchiin Zen Garden. Besides, he took us the the entrance of deep Zen philosophy and made us more curious about it. His guiding was based on his much respect for Japanese life and deep understanding of Zen . It was also so clear to understand even for a non-native English speaker like me. I really enjoyed this unique and precious tour. I am going to take his new tour in the future, too. Highly recommended tour!

There is a saying that “words from the heart, enter the heart.” Our recent experience with the online Zen Garden, Zen Mind small group tour and Andrew’s incredible passion for gardens and landscaping design/ architecture beautifully mirrors this expression. My wife and I enjoyed the online tour very, very much. Andrew was so engaging and knowledgeable. We felt like we were actually visiting a monastery garden in Kyoto. Without a doubt, Andrew’s many reviews are well deserved. The online tour was inspiring and memorable—we highly recommend it!!! Thank you so much for a wonderful tour!

With our trip to Japan postponed until the next year and missing Kyoto dearly, we did the online version of this tour. It was a very informative, engaging and interesting experience, with Andrew’s incredible knowledge shining through. In some ways it was even better than a direct tour because first of all – no crowds, and explaining Kyoto’s topography and using the garden’s map gave a nice framework. We’re looking forward to booking ourselves for a in-person tour when we can, but in the meantime, we hope Andrew prepares another experience to make the wait easier! Highly recommended.

We did an online virtual tour of a Japanese Garden in Kyoto with Andrew. We had some basic knowledge of Japanese Gardens design principles, but this tour with Andrew really helped us understand a lot more about them. Andrew is certainly extremely knowledgeable about this topic and is a pleasure to have as a guide. I would highly recommend Andrew and this tour for anyone with any kind of interest in gardens!