To visit a garden in Japan is to take a step away from reality. Many of the gardens are calm oases in the centre of busy cities and they offer visitors an opportunity to relax and forget.
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Ryoanji garden, Kyoto.
Below you will find the numerous types of garden that can be found throughout Japan.
As you might expect, there are a vast number of gardens to explore. The three that the Japanese consider to be the best are, Kenrokuen in Kanazawa, Korakuen in Okayama and Kairakuen in Mito. These three are the pond and island style of Japanese garden, characterised by their verdant planes and inclusion of the following elements: rocks, pond and bridge.
Tsukiyama Gardens employ artificial hills, water features, meandering paths and a variety of vegetation and flora to recreate famous landscapes in Japan. Suizenji Koen in Kumamoto is a good example of a hill garden and one of Japan’s most beautiful. It encompasses a circular path to lead visitors around the grounds, lakes, manicured trees and even symbolic “Mt Fuji” in miniature. Parts of the garden date back 400 years and were first created by the ruling feudal lord Hosokawa as a tea retreat. You can still stop for a cup of strong green tea in the tea arbour.
Karesansui Gardens utilise stones, gravel, sand and moss to represent mountains, islands, boats, seas and rivers. These gardens were influenced by Zen Buddhism and considered ideal spots for meditation. Ryoanji garden in Kyoto is a typical and probably the most famous dry rock garden in Japan. The garden itself consists of racked gravel and fifteen rock boulders covered by moss, 14 of which are visible from any angle. The fifteenth remains hidden and Buddhist teaching states that only through reaching enlightenment can you see the fifteenth boulder.Ryoanji garden was constructed in the 15th century. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the ultimate beauty of Ryoanji lies in its simple form, removing everything that is unnecessary from the garden, allowing you to experience the calm thoughts of Zen Buddhism.
Chaniwa Gardens (tea gardens) are gardens specifically built for the tea ceremony and are often very simply designed to reflect the customs of the tea ceremony itself. Stepping stones leading up to a tea house and the use of stone lanterns are common features in Chaniwa gardens. Most Chaniwa gardens are not open to the public, but ideas and influences from them can be seen in lots of larger gardens, such as Happo-en in Tokyo. For example, many gardens have a tsukubai stone basin, which is used to purify guests mouths and hands before entering the tea room.
Kaiyu-shiki, or strolling gardens, make the most of the garden path and lead visitors through the garden, unveiling differing views along the way. Kenrokuen Garden is the best example of a stroll garden in Japan. Located in Kanazawa it is not only an excellent stroll garden, but also one of Japan’s top three most celebrated gardens. The garden was developed from the 1620's to 1840s by the Maeda clan and is known for encompassing the six attributes of spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, waterways, and panoramas that make up the perfect garden according to Chinese legend. Kenrokuen has some fabulous panoramic views over Kanazawa city and you should dedicate at least an hour and a half to really explore the gardens properly.