Japanese Gardens
The island of Honshu is said to be the origin of what we know as the Japanese garden and originated most likely in the Asuka period 538-710. It's thought that Japanese travelers to China brought back skills of gardening and commenced building them and used Shintoism as an influence. This is a rundown on types or elements in the Japanese Gardens but of course, isn't complete.
Japanese Gardens
The island of Honshu is said to be the origin of what we know as the Japanese garden and originated most likely in the Asuka period 538-710. It's thought that Japanese travelers to China brought back skills of gardening and commenced building them and used Shintoism as an influence. This is a rundown on types or elements in the Japanese Gardens but of course, isn't complete.
The island of Honshu is said to be the origin of what we know as the Japanese garden and originated most likely in the Asuka period 538-710. It's thought that Japanese travelers to China brought back skills of gardening and commenced building them and used Shintoism as an influence. This is a rundown on types or elements in the Japanese Gardens but of course, isn't complete.
Chisen-shoyū-teien
This term literally means pond garden. The first built in Japan was in the Heian period which was between 794 and 1185. There aren’t any original pond gardens in existence but there are recreations.
Heian-jingu, Kyoto, Japan.
Karesansui
This is a dry garden or what many know as a rock garden or Zen garden. These gardens have existed since at least the Heian period. Tachibana no Toshitsuna wrote of these in the 11th century and were probably borrowed from the Chinese rock gardens of the Song Dynasty. Around the 12th century, many of the first Zen Buddhist gardens had a dry landscape garden to promote meditation. They evolved and culminated in the most famous garden, Ryōan-ji completed in 1450
Ryoan-ji, Kyoto, Japan
Roji
The term roji means “dewy ground” and is used as the term for a garden that leads to a tea house. The philosopher and tea ceremony influencer Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591) is said to have originated this style of garden for his own tea house. These gardens usually consist of an inner and outer portion with an arbor.
Gyokusen-en in Kanazawa
References:
Kuitert, Wybe (1988), Themes, Scenes, and Taste in the History of Japanese Garden Art. Japonica Neerlandica, Amsterdam, ISBN 90-5063-0219
Slawson, David A. (1987), Secret Teachings in the Art of Japanese Gardens, New York/Tokyo: Kodansha
japanesegardens.jp Real Japanese Gardens
Bowdoin College. Japanese Gardens