landscaping

gardens of japan

Shizen e no ai: "Love for nature" is a matter of course in Japan and is not only visible but also tangible for every visitor. And so the passion with which the Japanese devote themselves to their gardens and parks can probably best be described as "loving meticulousness".

In Oshino Hakkai – a traditional village not far from Mount Fuji – the pond lined with small bushes and larger bonsai is particularly enchanting. The contrast between this dark blue paint pot and the surrounding deep red and rich green splashes of colour seems to be deliberately chosen and yet adapted to the local landscape's colour palette. 

If, on the other hand, one looks at the garden of the Ginkaku-ji in Kyoto, a completely different picture emerges. Built in 1482 by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa as a retreat, the park-like grounds of today's Zen temple are a particularly peaceful place that invites you to stroll and reflect. Many hands are busy here trimming, raking, plucking and tending the garden landscape. This order creates peace for the body and soul.

Order on a smaller scale is created by the nine gardens of Koko-en in Himeji, whose design is still based on plans from the Edo period. In Koko-en, one literally walks on old paths that lead the visitor through small and very cultivated worlds. 

Less a garden than a park is the Koraku-en in Okayama. For us personally one of the most beautiful we have ever visited. The extensive grounds not only impress with their unusually large lawns but also with their many facets: from lotus flowers to fruit trees and tea bushes. All these different scenic areas are arranged like theme islands around a large pond, which is not only the heart of the park but also a playground for countless hungry Koi carps.

The fact that even at late hours the garden plays an important role and wants to be noticed is shown in the Isuien Garden in Nara. Its narrow sand paths and stepping stones lead the visitor through small forests, past moss hills, and across a pond. In the light of the evening sun, coniferous and deciduous trees shine one last time. Until the game of loving meticulousness begins anew the next day.

Japan, October 2019. | All words and photos by The Sturgheons.