Ryūmonbaku – Dragon Gate Falls
Today I would like to talk about the Ryūmonbaku style waterfalls.
Do you know these falls where a stone represents a carp jumping up a fall to become a dragon?
The tale goes, that only a strong carp can manage to swim up a river with strong current and pass the dragon gate on top of the fall.
If one managed it, it will become a powerful dragon.
But did you know that in the original tale from China, the fish swimming up the river, is not a carp?
It is actually a sturgeon! But because a sturgeon was unknown in Japan at the time the tale arrived on the island and the Chinese Kanji for this fish are 黄鯉 – yellow carp, the tale was passed down with a carp jumping up the waterfall.
The picture above shows the very famous Ryūmonbaku from Tenryū-ji temple.
While the garden was designed by Musō Soseki, some people think the waterfall could be even older. But it definitely represents the waterfall from the Ryūmonbaku tale.
Today it is a dry waterfall, but once it carried water.
And as a small sidestory.. did you know that passing the examinations to become part of the administration of the historical Chinese emperor was was called “the dragon gate”? The emperor was associated with a dragon and the examinations were so hard, that it took a great effort to pass them.
In Japanese garden design the Ryūmonbaku falls stand for the difficulty to reach enlightenment.
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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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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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