日本庭園
The Nezu Museum in contrast to so-called Japanese gardens in the western world.
On a weekend day in early March, I visited the Nezu Museum in Tokyo’s Aoyama area. I am not a great fan of museums. I never was. While I have no problem with paying 500 Yen for visiting a garden, I have with paying 1000 Yen and know I will only visit and enjoy half […]
Shōren-in eBook – Discover Kyoto’s Imperial Temple Garden
We are excited to present our new Shōren-in eBook, a special release alongside our series The Secret Gardens of Tokyo. Shōren-in – An Imperial Temple in Kyoto During a study trip to Kyoto in early winter 2015, we visited several gardens that left a strong impression. Shōren-in fascinated us with its modern fusuma sliding doors […]
Behind the image of the karesansui garden
The Kamakura and Muromachi eras hold the answer to my third question of dry landscape gardens – is there more to their compositions than the restraint and unnaturalness that they project? Zen Buddhism and the Hidden Nature of Rocks The effect upon these karesansui (“withered mountain-water”) gardens from the practice of meditation from Zen Buddhism […]
On the relationship of traditional Japanese gardens to nature. Is a balance between the gardener and nature important and is equilibrium sought within their creation?
Man and Nature: The Early Philosophy of Japanese Gardens Through the act of creating a garden, there is an inherent manipulation of nature. However, in the early forms of Japanese gardening, this was undertaken in order to serve nature and the deities that lived within the ‘garden objects’, such as rocks. It is true that […]
Reasons for traditional Japanese gardens, in consideration of religious beliefs and recreation over time
The Origins and Evolution of Traditional Japanese Gardens The first thing that must be appreciated when referring to the ‘traditional Japanese garden’ is that this spans a great history of many different eras, possibly to the origins of tangible culture upon this island. Thus, the history of gardens incorporates many evolutionary forms from their simplistic […]
A brief look into the history and concept of a traditional Japanese garden
Exploring the History of Traditional Japanese Gardens I would like to leave with the following short series of posts about the history of traditional Japanese gardens. During my time at RJG, I delved into their realms to begin understanding the complex reasons and methods behind their creation and composition. To begin this series, I would […]
Kiyosumi Garden eBook – Discover Tokyo’s Stone Garden
We are excited to present our new Kiyosumi Garden eBook, the very first title in our new series The Secret Gardens of Tokyo! Kiyosumi – A Garden of Stones Unlike most gardens in our Famous Gardens of Tokyo series, Kiyosumi Garden does not date back to the Edo period. Its main design belongs to the […]
Gardens Above: Tokyo’s Rooftop Gardens
Searching for a New Style of Garden Recently I ventured around Tokyo in search of a relatively new style of garden. I wanted to explore the differences that have taken place between the creation of traditional Japanese gardens and contemporary ones. The Japanese have a reputation for being creative, not least in the garden – […]
Hamarikyu Garden Tokyo – A Modern Concept of Shakkei
Visiting Hamarikyu In December last year I visited Tokyo’s Hamarikyu Edo era garden, which lies low on the original coastline of the city. It is a relatively large garden spreading in the mounds of man-made mountains, across a tidal pond, duck-hunting grounds and salt fields beneath the cities towering heights. It was primarily a pleasure […]
Traditional Machiya Townhouse in Tokyo Setagaya
Late last year, we had a surprise visit to a traditional machiya (townhouse) in Tokyo. The Charm of Wood in Japanese Homes I love houses made from hand-hewn stone, but those built from carved wood hold a different kind of specialness. Wood carries delicate aromas and a sense of shifting time. Its exposed growth lines […]