7 – 5 – 3 (Shichi Go San) in Japanese Garden Design
I have explored the topic of 7 – 5 – 3 (Shichi Go San) in Japanese Garden Design over on Patreon after I had visited Shinju-an Temple with its 7 – 5 – 3 dry landscape garden.
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Today, I want to share it with you too!
The 7 – 5 – 3 Theme in the Shinju-an Temple
Shinju-an dry landscape garden in comparison to Ryoan-ji dry landscape garden
Just like Ryōan-ji, the garden is a rectangle and contains 15 rocks in groups of 7-5-3. They are laid out on a semicircular line, which is, compared to Ryōan-ji, not as sharp.
It also has a boundary, which isn’t a clay wall but a cut hedge.
Also, Shinju-an is not built in the tradition of the Nantei (garden in the south) but was built on the east side of the temple building, just like the garden of Daisen-in.
This is an indication of the Shinju-an garden being a few decades younger than Ryōan-ji and created in a different developmental phase of karesansui gardens.
Ryōan-ji Temple Garden Guide
This eBook explores the symbolism, mystery, and design of Ryōan-ji’s iconic rock garden in Kyoto.
Perfect for garden lovers, architects, and students of Zen.
Learn more before you visit—or revisit from home.
Other areas with the 7 – 5 – 3 Theme in Shinju-an
The theme of the 7-5-3 can not only be found in the east garden but also in the stepping stones leading to the entrance of the temple.
The Origins of 7 – 5 – 3
The 7-5-3 theme inside gardens is an innovation of the Muromachi period. Many people immediately draw connections to the 7-5-3 festival for children in Japan. That is maybe not all that’s behind these numbers. Seven and five, for example, play an important role in Japanese poetry.
However, it may actually be rooted in Chinese cosmology.
Odd numbers and yin and yang
Odd numbers are considered auspicious and yang. They are associated with growth and vitality, are positive, dynamic, and life-affirming. Even numbers stand for being static or passive. Odd numbers became a symbol of positive life transitions and good fortune.
Even today, a lot of Japanese cultural festivals are held on odd days like the Hina matsuri on March 3 (3/3), Kodomo no Hi on May 5 (5/5), or Tanabata on July 7 (7/7).
The Five Elements
The fundamental building blocks of all things are the Five Elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, water. All things in the universe are born when the Five Elements interact and function with each other. It’s a philosophy that encompasses all phenomena in nature, including the universe.
The Magic Square of the Luoshu
These Five Elements can also be found in the Magic Square of the Luoshu. It is said to be the oldest magic square containing the numbers one to nine, where every row, column, and diagonal adds up to fifteen.
Fifteen is considered a perfect, harmonious number in ancient cosmology. It is also the number of days in each of the 24 cycles of the Chinese solar year.
The middle horizontal row reads 7 – 5 – 3 from right to left.
The Shichi Go San Festival to celebrate 7, 5, and 3 year old children is traditionally celebrated on November 15.
In the Luoshu Square, the Five Elements are linked by Chinese cosmology as follows:
North – 1 – Water
South – 9 – Fire
East – 3 – Wood
West – 7 – Metal
Center – 5 – Earth
The odd numbers are balanced by the even numbers. No side is dominating the other.
Five, the Earth, is stabilizing the whole system. Seven and Three, Wood and Metal, together with Earth, stand for growth → stabilisation → refinement, which can also be read as the way of life.
The 7 – 5 – 3 theme in Japanese Garden Design
In Japanese garden design, there can be different approaches to include the shichi-go-san theme.
Very simple by placing rocks in the respective numbers. Three or five islands can be implemented in the pond, and steps or stepping stones can use three, five, or seven, like seen in Shinju-an temple. A central feature can represent the five, stabilising the whole composition. Paths and/or transitions can represent the stages of life: growth, stabilisation, refinement, or the whole garden can function as the microcosmos of the universe, like the Luoshu Square.
RJG’s Amazon Picks:
Legacy of the Luoshu
This book offers a historical and mathematical exploration of the Luoshu, the oldest known 3×3 magic square. Rather than approaching it as mysticism, Swetz traces how the square developed through Chinese mathematics, cosmology, and statecraft, explaining why the number fifteen and the balance of odd and even numbers mattered in ancient thought. A solid reference for readers interested in the numerical and intellectual background behind 7-5-3.
The Shorter Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 1
A more academic but accessible introduction to Chinese scientific and philosophical thought, including concepts such as qi, order (li), and number (shu). This book places cosmology and numerology in the broader context of how nature and the universe were understood and studied, rather than treating them as symbolic belief systems alone. Recommended for readers who want a historical and intellectual framework behind ideas discussed in this article.
The Shorter Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 2
Part of the landmark Science and Civilization series, this volume investigates how early Chinese thinkers understood the natural world, including numbers, astronomy, cosmology, and concepts of order and balance. This is a comprehensive academic source for grounding your blog in historical intellectual frameworks.
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With twelve years of professional landscaping experience under her belt, Anika Ogusu is your perfect guide to the world of Japanese gardens. Her love of nature began early, in the woods near her childhood home and the garden of her grandmother’s house. During her teenage years she developed a strong interest in Japanese culture, and after university she decided to combine her love of Japan and gardens into a profession. Anika started her career as chief gardener in charge of the perennial valley at the Botanical Garden in Hamburg, Germany, then moved to Tokyo in pursuit of her dream. For two years she apprenticed under local landscape designers and learned the art of Japanese garden design, construction and maintenance. Now, in partnership with Real Japanese Gardens (www.japanesegardens.jp), her wish is to spread the magic of Japanese gardens to the rest of the world. Her in-depth guide books on gardens throughout Japan are available in eBook format or paperback. In her free time, Anika enjoys exploring her adopted country (especially green moss gardens), and soaking up nature and any details that interest her.
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Our Patrons are making our work possible and are the first to read!
With twelve years of professional landscaping experience under her belt, Anika Ogusu is your perfect guide to the world of Japanese gardens. Her love of nature began early, in the woods near her childhood home and the garden of her grandmother’s house. During her teenage years she developed a strong interest in Japanese culture, and after university she decided to combine her love of Japan and gardens into a profession. Anika started her career as chief gardener in charge of the perennial valley at the Botanical Garden in Hamburg, Germany, then moved to Tokyo in pursuit of her dream. For two years she apprenticed under local landscape designers and learned the art of Japanese garden design, construction and maintenance. Now, in partnership with Real Japanese Gardens (www.japanesegardens.jp), her wish is to spread the magic of Japanese gardens to the rest of the world. Her in-depth guide books on gardens throughout Japan are available in eBook format or paperback. In her free time, Anika enjoys exploring her adopted country (especially green moss gardens), and soaking up nature and any details that interest her.
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