Principles of japanese Garden, Elements used & case study

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R S Shrividhyah, 5th Year B Arch.
JAPANESE GARDEN
ASSIGNMENT-3
INTRODUCTION:
 Japanese garden has a history of 1000 years.
 The gardens of the Emperors and nobles were designed for recreation and
aesthetic pleasure.
 Gardens of Buddhist temples were designed for contemplation and meditation.
 The gardens were developed under the influences of the Chinese gardens.
 Japanese gardens first appeared on the island of Honshu the large central
island of Japan.
 Great gardens can be found throughout Japan, with particularly many in the
former capital of Kyoto.
 Japanese landscape mainly tries to symbolize islands in seas covered with
forests.
HISTORY OF JAPANESE GARDENS:
 Early Japan (before 794)
 Heian Period (794-1185)
 Kamakura and Muromachi Periods (1192-1573)
 Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603)
 Edo Period (1603-1867)
 Meiji period (1868-1912)
 Modern Gardens (1912 to present)
BASIC RULES IN DESIGN 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 symmetry.
 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 tranquillity and tension.
 CURVES: That softens the effect.
 OPENNESS: That indicates interaction between all elements.

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R S Shrividhyah, 5th Year B Arch.
ESSENTIAL ASPECTS:
 The line between garden and its surrounding landscape is not distinct.
 Gardens incorporate natural and artificial elements and thus, fuse the elements
of nature and architecture.
 In the Japanese garden, the viewer should consider nature as a picture frame
into which the garden, or the man-made work of art, is inserted.
PRINCIPLES OF JAPANESE GARDENS:
 A common design principle found in most of Japanese garden is the use of
asymmetry.
 Plants and trees are often arranged in asymmetric fashion, as are fences and
hedges.
 The clever use of space is unique where empty spaces are deliberately left
unfiled to create feeling of spaciousness and uncluttered calm.
 Balance, the proportions and spaces are an essential design principle.
SYMBOLISM:
 Plants are represented by moss that surrounds the rock.
 Water is represented by raked gravel.
 In spring one revels in the bright green of new buds and the blossoms of the
azaleas.
 In summer you appreciate the contrasts of the lush foliage painted against the
cool shadows.
 Fall wrests the brilliant colors from dying leaves as they slip into the deathly hush
of winter, the garden buried under a shroud of snow.
 Winters are as much a garden season in Japan as spring. The Japanese refer to
snow piled on the branches of trees a sekku, or snow blossoms, and there is a
lantern known as yukimi that is named the snow viewing lantern.
BASIC ELEMENTS USED:
 There are three indispensable or key elements without which a Japanese
garden cannot be made, that are:
 Plants
 Rocks
 Water
 Other subsidiary elements:
 Paths
 Lanterns
 Fences
 A stone lantern representing four natural elements: earth, water, fire and wind.
 Statues of male and female lions, placed at the entrance of the garden in
order to protect the garden from intruders.

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R S Shrividhyah, 5th Year B Arch.
 Water basin known as a deer chaser, which keeps deer away by making a
special sound when filled up.
 Typical Japanese bridge, called a moon bridge, whose purpose is to reflect
artistic feelings.
THE KATSURA IMPERIAL PALACE
GARDEN, KYOTO, JAPAN
 ARCHITECT: Kobori Enshu
 CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM: Wood timber
frame with tile roofs
 STYLE: Traditional Japanese

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R S Shrividhyah, 5th Year B Arch.
The Imperial palace of Villa Katsura reflects the zenith of Japanese architecture,
reflects the harmonies discovered between the building, landscape and
materials and the infinite possibilities of asymmetry and flexibility.
 The Imperial Villa of Katsura Rikyu is
known for the impressive gardens
designed by Kobori Enshu in
collaboration with Prince Toshihito.
 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.
Katsura site – Axanometric View Aerial View of Imperial Villa Katsura

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REFERENCES:
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Imperial_Villa_Katsura.html
http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/japan/kyoto/katsura.php
www.japan-guide.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_garden
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_garden#Garden_elements