Japanese gardens began during the Asuka period, inspired by Chinese landscapes. They were designed to be spiritual places of peace and meditation. Traditional Japanese gardens can be categorized as hill gardens, dry gardens, or tea gardens. The main elements are water, rocks, bridges, lanterns, fences, trees, and flowers. Rocks and water symbolize yin and yang and are carefully placed according to Buddhist principles. Famous examples include the Zen garden at Ryōan-ji temple, known for its simple rock arrangement, and the stroll garden at Katsura Imperial Villa featuring a large lake with many bridges.

1. JAPANESE GARDENS

2. INTRODUCTION
The idea of these unique gardens began during the Asuka period Inspired by Chinese landscape
gardens.
Japanese gardens first appeared on the island of Honshu. Japanese gardens have their roots in
Japanese religion of Shinto.
Earlier gardens were designed in order to bring a spiritual sense to the gardens and make them
places where people could spend their time in a peaceful way and meditate
Today, in many parts of Japan and the western parts of the world the traditions of Japanese
garden art are still maintained. The intensity of expression, continue to inspire many artists that
aspire to create a personal Japanese garden of their own.
Traditional Japanese gardens can be categorized into three types: tsukiyama (hill
gardens), karesansui (dry gardens) and chaniwa gardens (tea gardens). The main purpose of a
Japanese garden is to attempt to be a space that captures the natural beauties of nature.

3. ELEMENTS OF JAPANESE GARDEN
• Water
• Rock and sand
• Garden bridges
• Stone lanterns and water basins
• Garden fences and gates
• Trees and flowers
• Fish

4. WATER
◦ Japanese gardens always have water, either a pond or
stream, or, in the dry rock garden, represented by white sand.
Water is used not just for its visual quality, but also for its
sound.
◦ The Japanese have learnt to exploit the sound of water in all
its various form. it varies from powerful waterfall to water
falling into a water basin, creating different emotions.
◦ The bank of the pond is usually bordered by rocks & in order
to preserve the natural shapes, man-made ponds are
asymmetrical.
◦ In traditional gardens,The ponds and streams are carefully
placed according to Buddhist geomancy, the art and science
of putting things in the place most likely to attract good
fortune.
◦ In Buddhist symbolism, water and stone are the ying-yang,
two opposites which complement and complete each other
◦ A waterfall is more suitable to stimulate both visual and
acoustic senses and a lake or a pond is to create a more
formal and calm setup

5. ROCKS AND SAND
◦ Rock, sand and gravel are an essential feature of
the Japanese garden. The rocks are like the
coordinates of a garden project.
◦ Rocks and water also symbolize yin and yang, the
hard rock and soft water complement each other,
and water, though soft, can wear away rock.
◦ SIZE 1. only when viewed in the context of the
scale of the garden & its relationship with the
neighboring rocks and other artifacts. 2. Variation in
rock sizes offer greater contrast & interest resulting
in the more dynamic arrangement of rocks. 3.
Rocks are traditionally classified as tall vertical, low
vertical, arching, reclining, or flat.
◦ COLOURS 1. generally bright colors are avoided.
2. Color of rocks generally varies from grey to
black, and from yellow to brick red on other hand.

6. TEXTURE
1. Rocks are often used to represent islands and
mountains, so conical or dome shaped rough
volcanic rocks would be the obvious
choice.(kansai)
2. Hard metamorphic rocks are usually placed by
waterfalls or streams.
3. A jagged textured rock gives feeling of
timelessness and dignity.
4. Smooth rocks like water worn stones or glacial
boulders convey the feeling of antiquity especially
when combined in an interesting shape are used
around lakes or as stepping stones.
Certain guidelines or ground rules are followed to
achieve good results such as:
1. Rocks of varying sizes are used to emphasize the
contrast.
2. asymmetric arrangement of rocks is preferred over
symmetrical arrangement.
3. Sometimes there is a tradition for arranging the
rocks to reflect the philosophical concept heaven,
earth and man

7. GARDEN BRIDGES
◦ Bridges could be made of stone (ishibashi), or of
wood, or made of logs with earth on top, covered
with moss (dobashi); they could be either arched
(soribashi) or flat (hirabashi).
◦ Bridges can be painted red if it is used for temple
garden, as per Chinese tradition.

8. STONE LANTERNS & WATER BASINS
◦ Stone lanterns In its complete and original form, a
dai-doro, like the pagoda, represents the five
elements of Buddhist cosmology. The piece
touching the ground represents chi, the earth; the
next section represents sui, or water; ka or fire, is
represented by the section encasing the lantern's
light or flame, while fū (air) and kū (void or spirit)
are represented by the last two sections, top-most
and pointing towards the sky. The segments
express the idea that after death our physical
bodies will go back to their original, elemental form.
◦ Stone water basins, (tsukubai) were originally
placed in gardens for visitors to wash their hands
and mouth before the tea ceremony. The water is
provided to the basin by a bamboo pipe and they
usually have a wooden ladle for drinking the water.
In tea gardens, the basin was placed low to the
ground, so the drinker had to bend over to get his
water

9. GARDEN FENCES &
GATES
◦ There are three types of fences: 1. The short fence
which extends from the house into the garden 2. An
inner fence 3. an outer fence.
When the fences are used to divide garden areas, they
are called shikiri-gaki (仕切垣). Very low fences (about
ankle to knee high) are called Ashimoto-gaki (足元垣 -
"step" or "foot-level" fence). They are used to line a path
and keep visitors off the moss or grass area.
see-through fences -
sukashi-gaki (透垣).
The garden visitor can
see what lies behind
them, but cannot go
there. Depending on
the garden situation,
this design element
can be used to
increase curiosity.
Their functions are manifold: They block views and separate sceneries,
are erected as boundaries around the garden, work as windbreaks or
screens or emphasize a special element in a garden

10. TREES AND FLOWERS
◦ Plants are chosen according to aesthetic principles,
◦ Plants are used either to hide undesirable sights or to serve
as a backdrop to certain garden features, or to create a
picturesque scene, like a landscape painting or postcard.
◦ Trees are carefully chosen and arranged for their autumn
colors.
◦ Mosses often used to suggest that the garden is ancient.
◦ Flowers are also carefully chosen by their season of
flowering.
◦ Some plants are chosen for their religious symbolism, such
as the lotus, sacred in Buddhist teachings, or the pine, which
represents longevity.
◦ The trees are carefully trimmed to provide attractive scenes,
and to prevent them from blocking other views of the garden

11. Fish
◦ The idea of using fish in landscape garden is
borrowed from Chinese garden.
◦ The Japanese, therefore, have found places to
grow living flowers, the colored carps.
◦ They appeared in Japan many centuries ago and
the Japanese have crossbred them for over 100
years, producing carps of high value that bring a
flash of colour to the shallow waters.
◦ Carps can live for up to 50 years. In Japanese
culture, they are a symbol of strength and
perseverance.
The word “koi” is derived from the Japanese word for carp,
and the new fish were called nishikigoi, which means
“brocaded carp”. They became important features
of garden ponds, and their images appeared in drawings and
paintings of the period.

12. PRINCIPLES of JAPANESE GARDENS
◦ Natural: That should make the garden look as if it grew by itself
◦ Asymmetry: That creates the impression of it being natural
◦ Odd numbers: Like three, five or seven; that support the effect of the asymmetry.
◦ Simplicity: That follows the idea of 'less is more‘
◦ Triangle: That is the most common shape for compositions made of stones, plants, etc.
◦ Contrast: That creates tension between elements
◦ Lines: That can create both tranquility and tension
◦ Curves: That softens the effect
◦ Openness: That indicates interaction between all elements

13. Zen Gardens
◦ Dry gardens ex: Ryoanji
◦ kare-sansui ("dry landscape")
The temple and its gardens are listed as one of the
Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, and as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Measuring 75’X30 with wooden
verandah with 15 stones and five unevan groups set in coarse
sand. The only vegetation could be the moss on the stone.
Meant to aid in meditation, spiritual peace in time of
turbulence.
Reflecting a monks life imbued with simplicity and austerity
leading to enlightenment.

14. Ryoanji
Ryōanji (Peaceful Dragon Temple) is a Zen temple and World Heritage Site in northwest Kyoto, Japan.
Best known for its Zen garden, simple gravel-and-rock arrangement that inspires peace and contemplation.
It is considered one of the finest surviving examples of kare-sansui (dry landscape).
The garden measures thirty by seventy-eight feet.
To the east, a low wall surrounds the garden.
On its north side the long veranda where the visitors experience the garden is located
On the southern and western side, a wall-topped with thatched roof tile edges the garden.
The Zen garden itself is comprised of fifteen stones, arranged in five groups, placed on of raked sand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfZe2NLKEns

15. Stroll Gardens KATSURA IMPERIAL PALACE GARDEN, KYOTO
◦ The gardens of the Edo period reflected the peace in the country: very soft shorelines, un-dramatic stone settings, and softly curved hills.
These types of Japanese gardens often recreate scenes from history and myth, both from within Japan, but also from China. The design of
these daimyo gardens reflected the wealth and intellectual prowess of the garden’s owner.
◦ the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto. The buildings were built in a very simple, undecorated style, a prototype for future Japanese
architecture. They opened up onto the garden, so that the garden seemed entirely part of the building. Whether the visitor was inside or
outside of the building, he always had a feeling he was in the center of nature.
◦ As these gardens were nearly always arranged around a central pond, or lake for the very well-to-do, bridges were an essential element of
the design.
◦ Curved bridges were commonly used in Heian period palace gardens about a thousand years ago, where boat parties would be held on the
ponds. The bridges needed to be curved, so that boats were able to pass underneath them.

16. Stroll Gardens KATSURA IMPERIAL PALACE GARDEN, KYOTO
◦ • Lake of 1.25 hectares was dug, hills and islands were
formed, beaches made, pavilions built and planting
undertaken.
• Has 16 bridges connecting the lake.
• Lake used for boating parties and the surrounding land as a
stroll garden, in effect a tea garden on an enormous scale.
• The 'Katsura Tree' (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) was associated
with the God of the Moon and the garden has a platform to view
its rising.
• There are 23 stone lanterns to light the stroll path after dark.
• Stone basins were used for hand-washing before a tea
ceremony.
• Garden designed not only for meditation (Zen) but also for
ceremonious courtly pleasures.
◦ Creation of series of views and experiences in a
clockwise movement

17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCIqjt3a_Zs