The Gardens of Japan
by Teiji Itoh

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Book Reviews of The Gardens of Japan

Book Review: Beautiful Niwas
Summary: 4 Stars

The niwa's design in part deals with the Chinese discipline of Fengshui, whereby the natural geography determines where are appropriate places to build. The Japanese took this concept, and translated its elements into trees so that an artificial geography can be built to provide the same elements anywhere. As you will agree, this is a most practical solution to creating harmony. The gravel-spread zones have a significance as places where gods descend. Despite these artifices, the purpose is to make the plants and stones appear unaltered by humans. Natural outcroppings are studied to get just the right look in the niwa.

These insights are very helpfully provided by the author, who is a former president of Kogakuin University in Tokyo. This edition of the book is slightly reduced in size from the well-known original English translation in 1984, that has been so widely admired. Although I would have liked to see larger pages (especially for the black-and-white photographs), this reduction does not significantly detract from this classic.

The Gardens of Japan creates a nice balance between looking at the elements of the niwa (design, stones, water, and plants) and its holistic existence (interaction with the sky as a natural dome, integration with the building spaces, spiritual meanings, and significance for daily life in Japan).

Naturally, you will find some of Japan's finest niwas gorgeously portrayed in two-page layouts in full color here. My favorites included the upper villa of the Shugakuin Detached Palace ("cloud-filled sky dome is part of the garden . . . an attempt to expand the garden to almost cosmic proportions"), Temple Sanpo-in garden, Kuwata residence, Furumine Shrine, Tenryu-ji, Hokoku-ji, Ichitani residence, and Rokuon-ji.

Many other gardens are captured in a few images, many in black and white to capture their design elements.

Should you have an opportunity to visit Japan, the book also has a helpful map that locates each niwa.

Where I live, the winters are cold and often snowy. To be able to pull out this book and commune with the gorgeous vistas of tranquillity during ideal weather will add to my sense of "inward mutability and interpermeability."

Where can you find peace? Do you go there often enough? How can you get more renewal from these experiences?

Feel the timeless truth all around you, let it imbue you . . . and relax when you take up your daily tasks in the future.

Summary of The Gardens of Japan

Gardening & Horticulture Books

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