JAPAN
Japanese
Garden
PREPARED BY: DIONEL FERNANDEZ
JAPANESE GARDENS
Japanese gardens are traditional gardens
that create miniature idealized
landscapes, often in a highly abstract and
stylized way
The gardens of the Emperors and nobles
were designed for recreation and
aesthetic pleasure, while the gardens
of Buddhist temples were designed for
contemplation and meditation
The idea of these unique gardens began
during the Asuka period.
JAPANESE GARDEN
PRINCIPLES:
The ability to capture the essence of
nature makes the Japanese gardens
distinctive and appealing to observers.
Traditional Japanese gardens are very
different in style from occidental gardens.
The contrast between western flower
gardens and Japanese gardens is
profound.
Japanese gardens have always been
conceived as a representation of a natural
setting.
JAPANESE GARDEN
PRINCIPLES:
The Japanese have always had a spiritual
connection with their land and the spirits
that are one with nature, which explains
why they prefer to incorporate natural
materials in their gardens.
Traditional Japanese gardens can be
categorized into three types:
1. tsukiyama (hill gardens)
2. karesansui (dry gardens)
3. 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.
JAPANESE GARDEN
ELEMENTS:
1.Water
2.Rock, Sand and Gravel
3.Garden Architecture
4.. Bridges
5.Stone Lanterns and Water Basins
6.Garden fences, gates, and devices
7.Trees and Flowers
8.Fish
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JAPANESE GARDEN
ELEMENTS:
1.Water
2.Rock, Sand and Gravel
3.Garden Architecture
4.. Bridges
5.Stone Lanterns and Water Basins
6.Garden fences, gates, and devices
7.Trees and Flowers
8.Fish
03
Japanese gardens always have water,
either a pond or stream, or, in the dry
rock garden, represented by white sand.
In Buddhist symbolism, water and stone
are the yin and yang, two opposites that
complement and complete each other
A traditional garden will usually have an
irregular-shaped pond or, in larger
gardens, two or more ponds connected
by a channel or stream, and a cascade, a
miniature version of Japan's famous
mountain waterfalls.
PREPARED BY: DIONEL FERNANDEZ
Essential feature of the Japanese garden.
Rocks and water also symbolize yin and
yang, (in and yō in Japanese) in Buddhist
philosophy; the hard rock and soft water
complement each other, and water,
though soft, can wear away rock
vertical rock may represent Mount Horai
flat rock might represent the earth.
Sand or gravel can represent a beach, or a
flowing river.
PREPARED BY: DIONEL FERNANDEZ
In Heian Period Japanese gardens, built
in the Chinese model, buildings occupied
as much or more space than the garden.
The garden was designed to be seen
from the main building and its verandas,
or from small pavilions built for that
purpose.
Rustic teahouses were hidden in their
own little gardens, and small benches
and open pavilions along the garden
paths provided places for rest and
contemplation.
PREPARED BY: DIONEL FERNANDEZ
Bridges first appeared in the Japanese
garden during the Heian period.
The bridge symbolized the path to
paradise and immortality
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)
If they were part of a temple garden, they
were painted red, but for the most part
they were unpainted
PREPARED BY: DIONEL FERNANDEZ
Japanese stone lanterns date back to the
Nara Period and the Heian Period.
Originally they were located only at
Buddhist temples, where they lined the
paths and approaches to the temple, but
in the Heian period they began to be
used at Shinto shrines as well.
During the Momoyama Period they were
introduced to the tea garden by the first
great tea masters, and in later gardens
they were used purely for decoration.
PREPARED BY: DIONEL FERNANDEZ
Fences in Japanese gardens serve
multiple purposes beyond merely
marking boundaries. They often play a
crucial role in creating a sense of
enclosure, privacy, and tranquility within
the garden space.
fences in Japanese gardens are designed
not only to fulfill practical needs but also
to contribute to the overall aesthetic and
spiritual experience of the garden,
fostering a sense of harmony, balance,
and tranquility.
PREPARED BY: DIONEL FERNANDEZ
Nothing in a Japanese garden is natural
or left to chance; each plant is chosen
according to aesthetic principles, either
to hide undesirable sights, 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
PREPARED BY: DIONEL FERNANDEZ
The use of fish, particularly nishiki-goi
(colored carp), or goldfish as a decorative
element in gardens was borrowed from
the Chinese garden.
By the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279), yellow,
orange, white and red-and-white
colorations had been developed. Goldfish
were introduced to Japan in the 16th
century.
Koi were developed from common carp
in Japan in the 1820s.
PREPARED BY: DIONEL FERNANDEZ
The first manual in Japanese Gardening
Sakuteiki is one of the oldest surviving
texts on Japanese garden design and
landscaping principles. It provides
detailed instructions, insights, and
aesthetic principles for creating and
maintaining traditional Japanese
gardens.
A practical guide for gardeners but also a
philosophical treatise that explores the
deeper meanings and spiritual
significance of Japanese gardens.
PREPARED BY: DIONEL FERNANDEZ
EXAMPLES OF JAPANESE GARDEN
FUKIAGE GARDEN
Fukiage Garden is located in the city of
Saitama in Japan. It's a beautiful
traditional Japanese garden known for its
serene ambiance and stunning natural
scenery. The garden spans over 35
hectares and is meticulously landscaped
with ponds, streams, bridges, and lush
greenery, creating a tranquil environment
for visitors to enjoy.
One of the highlights of Fukiage Garden is
its exquisite cherry blossoms, which
typically bloom in spring, painting the
garden in shades of pink and white.
Visitors flock to the garden during this
time to witness the breathtaking beauty
of the cherry blossoms in full bloom.
FUKIAGE GARDEN
FUKIAGE GARDEN
EAST GARDEN
The East Garden of Japan typically refers
to the East Garden of the Tokyo Imperial
Palace, which is situated in the heart of
Tokyo, the capital city of Japan. The Tokyo
Imperial Palace is the primary residence
of the Emperor of Japan and
encompasses vast grounds that include
gardens, buildings, and historical sites.
The East Garden, known as "Kōkyo
Higashi Gyoen" in Japanese, is one of the
main sections of the Tokyo Imperial
Palace open to the public. It covers an
area that was once part of the innermost
circles of defense for the Edo Castle, the
original castle upon which the Imperial
Palace was built.
EAST GARDEN
EAST GARDEN
NINOMARU GARDEN
Ninomaru Garden, also known as
Ninomaru Teien, is a picturesque garden
located within the grounds of the Tokyo
Imperial Palace in Japan. It is part of the
East Garden, one of the sections of the
Imperial Palace open to the public. The
garden is named after the Ninomaru
(second circle) area of the Edo Castle,
upon which the Tokyo Imperial Palace is
built.
The garden's layout reflects the
principles of Japanese garden design,
incorporating elements such as islands,
bridges, and teahouses.
NINOMARU GARDEN
NINOMARU GARDEN
JAPANESE GARDEN
STYLES:
Chisen-shoyū-teien or pond garden
Paradise Garden
Karesansui dry rock gardens
Tsubo-niwa courtyard garden
Roji, or tea gardens
Kaiyū-shiki-teien, or promenade gardens
Hermitage garden
Chisen-shoyū-teien or pond garden
Chisen-shoyū-teien, literally "lake-
springboat excursion garden", was
imported from China during the Heian
Period (794-1185).
Paradise Garden
The Paradise Garden appeared in the late
Heian Period, created by nobles
belonging to the Amida Buddhism sect
They were meant to symbolize Paradise or
the Pure Land (Jōdo), where the Buddha
sat on a platform contemplating a lotus
pond.
Karesansui dry rock gardens
These gardens have white sand or raked
gravel in place of water, carefully arranged
rocks, and sometimes rocks and sand
covered with moss.
Tsubo-niwa courtyard garden
These small gardens were originally found
in the interior courtyards of Heian Period
and palaces, and were designed to give a
glimpse of nature and some privacy to the
residents of the rear side of the building.
Roji, or tea gardens
The style of garden takes its name from
the roji, or path to the teahouse, which is
supposed to inspire the visitor to
meditation to prepare him for the
ceremony.
Kaiyū-shiki-teien, or promenade gardens
These gardens were designed to
complement the houses in the new
sukiyazukuri style of architecture, which
were modeled after the tea house
Hermitage garden
A hermitage garden is a small garden
usually built by a samurai or government
official who wanted to retire from public
life and devote himself to study or
meditation.
Thank You!!
PREPARED BY: DIONEL FERNANDEZ
REFERENCE:
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 20TH EDITION SIR BANISTER FLETCHER,
ARCHITECTURAL PRESS, 1996.
