The Uniqueness of Japanese Gardens

Conventionally, a garden in a Western country often consists of spring flowers or summer roses bordering a lawn. In Japan, however, many gardens are quite different.

How many gardens do you see which consist just of rocks and sand? In Kyoto, Japan is the rock garden of the Ryoan-ji, a type of garden known as karesan-sui. Karesan-sui means "dry mountain water." These are rock gardens, or dry landscape gardens. Rocks of various shapes and sizes are carefully arranged in the raked white gravel. No flowers or plants of any kind can be seen in this garden. It is a creation influenced by Zen Buddhism, where abstract thought and "nothingness" is emphasized.

Apart from rock gardens, the Japanese like moss gardens, such as the one located at Saiho-ji in Kyoto, where over 100 different varieties of moss form a velvet carpet under the ancient trees. Many other beautiful gardens are large enough to have ponds and streams, stone bridges and lanterns, pine trees and flowering shrubs.

Though little is known of the gardens of the common people of early times, we know that the love of "nature" remained strong in the hearts of the Japanese people. Their ancestors, following the Shinto religion, worshiped all types of things appearing in nature, including trees, rivers and lakes, and mountains, as well as the sun goddess.

The Japanese have learned to make a garden out of tiny spaces. It may be just a few carefully arranged rocks, a leaning pine tree and a small shrub. But what about people living in apartment complexes? How can they enjoy the pleasure of having their own garden? Here is where miniaturization comes into the picture.

Try to imagine some mountain and sea scenery on a small tray measuring about 20 by 12 inches. Bonkei means "miniature landscape on a tray." There may be fishermen, seas, cliffs or houses depicted in these small models.

                                           

The Japanese are also well known for Bonsai. Bonsai are living trees and plants kept to very small proportions by judicious pruning of stems and roots. A gnarled pine tree less than 24 inches high may turn out to be 150 years old. These miniature trees and plants are often handed down from generation to generation and are much prized possessions.

I`ve visited the wonderful Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, U.S. as well as one in Tatton Park, England.

The Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco is in fact the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States!
It was originally developed as the Japanese Village for the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition, the Tea Garden is now one of the most visited attractions in San Francisco. It is cared for by the San Francisco Parks Trust.

The Japanese garden in Tatton Park was created in the early part of last century, and was restored in 2000/2001 for the Japan Festival. It is reputed to be the finest in Europe. One thing they both have in common is serenity, balance, and true oneness with nature.

Japanese gardens are certainly different, restful to the soul, and very unique.

                                                       

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