Japanese Garden ［日本庭園］

Japanese Garden Japanese Garden

The Japanese Garden is a traditional way of artificially creating mountain, pond, waterfall, garden stones, plants, and trees within a garden space.
Rather than to maintain nature in a manmade method, this form of art focuses on the seasonal changes of plants, different species of wild birds and insects, and even the weather as elements of the garden scenery.
The view that can be seen from the garden is called Shakkei and is considered as a part of the garden itself.

The Japanese Garden has transformed through the ages and there currently are a number of forms that exist.

Jodo-shiki Teien: A form influenced by the Jodo (pure land) idea of Buddhism which expresses the world of Gokuraku Jodo (paradise).
E.g.) Byodoin (Kyoto), Joruri Temple (Kyoto), and Motsu Temple (Iwate).
Karesansui: A form expressing scenery with mountains and water without using water but stones and sand only.
E.g.) Daitoku Temple's Daisenin (Kyoto), Ryuan Temple (Kyoto), and Tofuku Temple's Ryuginan (Kyoto).
Chisen Kaiyushiki Teien: A fairly large garden form that allows visitors to view the garden while strolling around its pond and through its premise.
E.g., Korakuen (Okayama), Kenrokuen (Ishikawa), and Ritsurin Park (Kagawa).