MIDPARK PROJECT 2010 Under the theme of “The Most Pleasant Place in the Heart of Tokyo,” We present lifestyles among the city’s abundant greenery.One Day Among the Greenery #03 chama
A Summer Afternoon When My Mind Is Perfectly At Ease. ... The moment when you stretch your limbs out on the grass in a place away from the hustle and bustle is surely a precious time of spiritual release. Chama's encounter with yoga led him to spend more time among the greenery. His mind is perfectly at ease among the nature when he's somewhere that's filled with light, wind and the sounds of water.

Chama was born in Tokyo in 1967 and is now the director of TYG TokyoYoga. In addition to the instruction offered at TokyoYoga Aoyama and Shibuya, classes are held throughout Japan. Chama also directs poses for yoga DVDs and commercials.

Yoga instructor Chama gets on a mountain bike and dashes off. He gets off when he finds a place with plenty of visible greenery and begins to slowly walk, certain of where his feet are taking him.
"I've always gotten around on a bicycle, but when I suddenly find a place with a lot of trees I often stop by. I put out a yoga mat and stretch, open up the computer, or just space out... I pass the time in various ways. I was born and raised in Tokyo, but three years ago I moved to the Izu Highlands. Even so, I still spend most of my week in Tokyo because of work. Just getting away from Tokyo has made me notice that downtown actually has a lot of greenery."
Inviting sounds of water, attracted by the shade under the trees, acting on one's fancy
Chama arrives at the banks of a pond where a fountain stands and gently lies down on a bench. He momentarily closes his eyes and listens to the sounds of the water and the wind rustling through the trees.
"I really love the sound of water. On a clear and hot day like this, I feel cooler just by listening to the sound of it flowing. Also, I don't hear the sounds of car horns and the hustle and bustle of the city when I'm surrounded by the trees. I almost forget that this is downtown. The sounds I hear are natural, so it releases my body's energy and puts my mind at perfect ease. When I find a place with greenery and water, I lie down like this and carefully listen to the sounds of the water and the wind."
Chama says that the places he chooses to lie down depends on how he feels, his purpose, the time and the season. When he feels that the trees' shadows have lengthened, Chama says, "Let's move a bit" and next heads toward the opposite shore of the pond. He lays out his yoga mat on the grass, where the scent of the cool earth rises up, and begins to stretch. He takes a deep breath and extends his joints carefully, as though he is having a conversation with his body. Sometimes he stops, lazily observes his surroundings, then changes the direction of his body. The spray of the water also shifts with the wind, and Chama's body feels comfortable bathing in the sunlight.
From my teens to my 20s to my 30s...the way I interact with nature keeps changing
"I come to this place naturally because I want to spend time each day among the greenery, but also because I like to see the young people who gather here and feel some stimulation from them. I've actually been coming here since I was a teenager. But at that time me and my friends would always come to 'our spot' only at night. I first encountered yoga in my 20s, and in my late-30s when I decided to actually get serious about it my lifestyle and the way I think changed, while the way I interact with nature also changed. Now I find it oppressive when I'm in a place with no greenery nearby. So when I opened the school I paid attention to having some close by, because I believe it absolutely has a positive influence on the students. When I suddenly see some trees on my commute or just when I spend a bit of free time among the greenery, it lifts my spirit."

The staff's notes

"Downtown Tokyo actually has a lot of greenery." Just like Chama says, Tokyo Midtown is also a pleasant downtown location with plenty of greenery and water on its expansive grounds. When you pass by the fountain fashioned like a "forest spring," you can hear the murmuring of a brook from the garden. This brook transforms into the Ashimizu area in summer. Why not try dipping your feet into the brook on a hot summer day or cool off in the evening? The Midtown Water Works is also happening until Sunday, August 29 on the grass, during which the fountains put on a night time performance like a fireworks display. Feel the cool air among the greenery and relax while you enjoy a cool evening downtown. (M)

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