Handcrafting the Beauty of Nature

Where We Call Home.

Japanese gardens capture the beauty of nature.

And Wakayama Prefecture is home to many such traditional handcrafted landscapes.

One of the artisans who create and maintain gardens in the region is Dominik Schmitz from Germany.

I find and draw out nature's beauty.

To the traditional Japanese aesthetic, he adds more modern, German-inspired elements.

It's much more than we'd expected.

It brightens our life.

Dominik now works on the garden of a Buddhist temple that's part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

What natural beauty will his work draw out?

Let's follow Dominik on his search for the essence of Japanese gardening.

With a population of around 15,000, Kamitonda in Wakayama Prefecture is a mountain village abundant with nature.

Dominik's family sees him off as he leaves for work.

He runs a landscaping business based in this town.

- Bye!
- Off I go!

Dominik always starts work on-site at eight in the morning.

Today, he came to do some maintenance in the garden of Kozenji Temple, a local sightseeing spot.

This Buddhist sanctuary has seen some 1,200 years of history.

Good morning!

For four years now, the head priest, Amuro Gentatsu, has been employing Dominik's gardening services.

One of the biggest changes Dominik has brought to the garden is in the shape of the planted trees.

Though it may seem like he's just trimming them, there's actually more to it.

I don't make them round,
I shape them like mountains.

He gives the trees the appearance of a mountain range.

As the viewer's eyes ascend these "man-made mountains," they naturally reach the real ones in the background.

Integrating the local scenery is part of traditional gardening.

These "tree-mountains" act as a link between the garden and its natural surroundings, giving it a feel of spaciousness and perspective.

Right away, it looks great.

It perfectly fits into nature.

The key is to find nature's beauty
and to bring it out.

Besides Dominik's skills, Amuro has one more reason why he relies on him to take care of the garden.

Come breaktime...

How about a cup of tea?

Thank you.

I'll have it out here.
I'm too dirty.

A wise gardener always rests where he won't bother anyone.

Dominik's humble character earns his clients' trust.

He's so earnest.

A true Japanese craftsman.

He must've learned from a great teacher.

In his native Germany, Dominik grew up in a family of landscapers, and was familiar with the world of plants, flowers and trees since childhood.

He joined the family trade and attained the highest rank of meister, training young apprentices as he continued to build gardens.

When visiting Japan at the age of twenty-four, he saw something that would change his life: the beauty of natural scenery captured in an enclosed space - a Japanese garden.

He saw in it an appeal he couldn't find in German landscaping.

It was the creation of Ogawa Jihei VII, a pioneer of modern Japanese gardening who gave birth to numerous landscapes

that highlight the natural beauty of the vegetation.

It was an amazing world.

I was deeply moved.
I can't quite put it in words.

I felt like I still had a long way to go
and much knowledge and skills to learn.

I wanted to spend more time in Japan,
and work in this world.

Dominik then trained under Ogawa Jihei XI in Kyoto for three months.

It was however too short a time to acquire all the techniques he needed.

With painful reluctance, he returned to his home country.

It was during that time back in Germany that he met a Japanese woman named Kasuga.

They got married and had their first of two children.

All was well in Dominik's personal and professional life.

But in his heart, a wish he couldn't hold back kept growing - he dreamed of finding the true essence of Japanese gardens.

Then, in 2011, he and his family left behind their stable life and moved to Japan.

Dominik became apprentice to Ogawa Jihei.

For Kasuga, who worried for the rearing of their young son, it was a tough decision.

I wasn't sure it was the right choice.

The future was uncertain.

It took courage to give everything up
and start something new.

But Dominik is hardworking.

I knew I could trust and support him.

However, training proved to be a difficult and oftentimes confusing experience.

With little to no instruction, Dominik had to learn through hands-on work and observe his mentor and seniors.

I kept thinking of what I had to do.

But we had to work fast.

If I took time to think, I'd get scolded.

But I watched and imitated the others,
learned from my mistakes...

and kept the whole garden in mind
as I worked on each tree.

Each element plays
a role in the unity of the scenery.

After five years of pouring his heart and mind into training, Dominik finally began to feel he could become a gardener in Japan.

Though his mentor was a man of few words, he often said one thing that Dominik always keeps in mind.

'Pour your color into what you create.' Gardeners create spaces to which
they add their own 'color.'

It's now been five years since Dominik became independent.

Throughout that time, he's kept searching for his "color."

This brought him to try and incorporate gardening techniques from his homeland.

Good morning.

Today, he visits Mr. and Mrs. Matsumoto, who also live in Kamitonda, to do some maintenance in the garden he created for them.

He built a small mound with moss - a very Japanese garden at first glance, but in fact, it holds an idea only Dominik could've come up with.

Among the plants are some ajugas and abelias, which are often used in German gardens.

Adorned with lovely blossoms in spring, it's a space that combines aspects of both Japanese and German landscaping.

I love this blend of Japanese
and Western styles.

The priority is to create a garden
where people feel comfortable.

I follow the Japanese method...

and add plants used in Germany,
combining both cultures.

That's 'my color.' Dominik also playfully introduces German concepts in the Japanese gardens he creates for temples.

And for this restaurant, he built a flower bed with a dry-stone wall, commonly found in German gardens.

Dominik's unique gardens that marry Japanese techniques with German features grew in popularity.

He's now in charge of many gardens in and out of Wakayama.

The family visits a beach that's about a ten-minute drive from their home.

Found one.

It's coming out!

Invaluable time spent with his wife and children - yet his mind never drifts away from gardening for long.

Mountains beyond the sea.

There's no such scenery in Germany.

Japanese gardens recreate
the natural scenery.

So, we need to observe nature to improve.

Through repeated trial and error, Dominik built his reputation as a craftsman.

But the world of gardening is vast and deep.

He wishes to further hone his skills.

A new opportunity came knocking.

He was asked to take care of the garden at a temple on Mount Koya, which is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In this sacred area surrounded by mountains some 1,000 meters tall are more than a hundred Buddhist temples, the gardens of which are under the care of expert artisans.

The venerable Nishimuro-in Temple.

Since last winter, Dominik has been in charge of the garden here.

It was the head priest's wife, Kamei Chizuko, who approached Dominik after learning about him in a magazine.

The garden must blend
into the surrounding mountains.

That's why we asked Dominik.

A pond representing the sea, and mountains of moss.

The beauty of the local nature condensed in a single wide-open space.

For Dominik, this is the first time he is asked to work on a garden of such scale.

How can he add his own color to a place so permeated with tradition?

His training and experience are put to the test.

He called in fellow gardener Kishimoto Hanshiro for some help.

The two first met four years ago and trust in each other's expertise.

- We leave the part that comes out here.
- Yes.

The season for autumn colors approaches - the first one since Dominik took charge of this garden.

However, they're here today not to work on the maples, but on the pine trees.

Because they stay green all year round, pines serve as anchors in the scenery to contrast with the other trees that change with the seasons.

They must be well maintained to bring harmony to the overall scenery.

Over centuries, the sacred pines of Mount Koya have been grown with much care.

The gardeners tear off the old needles and leave the young ones.

It's said that the proper pruning of a pine is the mark of a true gardener.

It's a meticulous task.

I was too slow during training.
They kept telling me to hurry.

So, with effort and daily practice,
I got faster.

He pays as much attention to the detail as to the tree in its entirety.

What to do with the lowest branch?
Should we leave it?

Dominik and Kishimoto are now the fathers who will guide the pines in their growth.

Each decision is made with much consideration.

We don't need it.

Focus on the higher branches.

All right.

Each tree is part of this microcosm of natural beauty.

The two craftsmen keep the future in mind as they work.

He must think of the trees and the whole...

and plan three or four years ahead
as he works. It's hard.

I can see he's worked very hard.

I feel humbled to work
with a craftsman like him.

I have much admiration for him.

The two work in tandem for five consecutive days.

Leave this branch as is.

The pines' yearly maintenance is complete.

The maples will turn red...

while the pines stay green.

The pines give stability.
They balance the garden.

I'm excited to see the autumn colors.

Autumn makes an early appearance on Mount Koya.

Lovely!

Good morning.

How is the garden Dominik and Kishimoto worked on?

Nice!

It's beautiful.

Magnificent.

The natural beauty of each tree is a part of this fiery kaleidoscope.

The pines carefully pruned at the end of summer bring out the golden and red hues of the maples.

The goal is to draw out
the scenery to its full potential.

I think we were able to achieve that.

As I look back,
there were some tough times.

Gardens too have to go through hardships.
They aren't always at their best.

It's the same for people.

My time working in Germany
then training in Kyoto...

are truly invaluable experiences.

That contributes to what makes
my own unique 'color.' But it'll never be complete.

I'll always keep learning.

Hi! I'm Clark Ken Sacaon.
I work as a welder in Japan.

I'm training in Japan.

I'll show you my work.

Komatsu, Ishikawa.

7:45 a.m.
arriving at work.

Good morning!

8:00 a.m.
work starts.

Every day of work
begins with some exercise.

This is what I wear.

I look like an astronaut.

Ken works on welding parts
for construction machinery.

I'll weld this part.

It's the side of the treads.

First, I put it together.

Then I track weld the parts.

Track welds are small welds
that temporarily hold the parts together.

Sparks come out here.

It's 2,000℃.

It's dangerous.
Gotta stay calm.

Very important.

The parts are mounted together on a jig
so he can weld them with precision.

The final welding is done
automatically by a robot.

It's a race with the robot.

The robot completes its task in 35 mins.
Ken must do his in the same time.

The robot used to wait for me.

I practiced every day...

and optimized the way I work
to get faster and faster.

Now, I wait for the robot.

Done!

Perfect.

Even simple tasks
have to be done carefully.

I learned a lot.

After university, Ken came to Japan
in 2017 to train as a technical intern.

I came to Japan because I wanted
to help support my family.

For my 3 little sisters,
I chose to work in Japan.

I like Japan.

I really love this country.

There're lots of fun places.

I want to enjoy Japan's
snowy winters more and more.

Now a Specified Skilled Worker,
Ken is in his 5th year in Japan.

I still have to improve,
but I gained confidence.

His senior trains him
in advanced welding techniques.

Welding from bottom to top
requires a lot of practice.

No good.

It's sloppy.

Not there yet.
You gotta practice more.

The weld must be even in width
and in thickness.

I'll keep working hard...

to be as good as my senior.

This is our manager,
Yoshiura Masato-san.

He's very kind.

He makes sure I stay healthy.

He cares about me.
He's like a father.

A father.
Thanks.

You didn't say 'grandpa.' Yoshiura is in charge of Ken who was
the company's first non-Japanese intern.

It was a first for me.
There were some difficulties.

But Ken shows so much eagerness
in learning his work.

We became closer.

I now see his progress
like I would my own son's.

How nice of you.

I'm strict when I need to.

Like with preventing injuries.

It's very important in Japan.

Safety first, always.

I want to keep working here
for a long time.

Very well.

I won't let go of Ken!

Here's my treasure.

It's this helmet.

When I wear it, I feel protected.

I take care of it.

It keeps the smoke out.
It's dangerous without it.

Filtered air is sent to the helmet
by a unit at the back.

I'm glad to hear you treasure it.

- Don't have those in the Philippines?
- Never seen any.

Even if this one breaks,
I'll keep it as a memento.