As far as Ryan and Nicole are concerned, Japanese Gardens are the most lovely of all gardens; utopias of natural beauty.  While it has always been difficult to discern why the Japanese Garden is so utterly satisfying to the soul, our trip to Kenrokuen Gardens in Kanazawa, Japan certainly provided us a well reasoned answer. Our guide referred to Japanese Garden aesthetic as “the perfection of the imperfect.”

     As it turns out, the heart and soul of the Japanese Garden is the idea of Contradictory Concepts.  The three sets of paired concepts below might seem to create conflicts within the space of a garden; however, they actually complement each other. By providing all six of these elements at various places throughout the garden, there is something for everyone… no matter your mood, no matter your longing… it can be satisfied in a corner of these beautiful landscaped gardens.

     People often say, “I need space to breath” or “I need some alone time.” The Japanese Garden is designed to give you space to spread out and gaze over open spaces of water and forest. At the same time, it creates cozy, quiet spaces for a tea house, or the sheltered curve of a running stream where you can sit and be alone.

     Therefore, you won’t feel claustrophobic in a Japanese Garden.  There is enough open space to simply walk and breathe.  Yet you won’t feel lost in the expansiveness of a Japanese Garden.  There are quiet spaces that you can call your own.  Places to contemplate as you look at the beauty, places to read or write, as well as places to draw and paint.

     Japanese Gardens are intentionally planned and cultivated over time. The Kenrokuen Garden was built over the course of two hundred years!

     The aesthetic contrast of “Artificiality and yet Aged Appearance” acknowledges the vital role of human creation and intervention, yet appreciates the beauty of the natural aging process. You know that someone built a Japanese Garden because of the many man-made lakes and streams, bridges, tea houses, stone lanterns and carefully manicured plants.  Yet, the moss and the patina of weathered wood and ancient stones give the garden a naturally aged appearance.

      The many types of mosses found in the Japanese garden cover rocks, trees and open areas.  It helps the garden to appear like it just grew out of the forest and has been there forever.

     The bridges, some made of wood and bamboo, others made of stone, beg the viewer to take time to gaze in each direction: as you enter the bridge, and where the bridge leads you, but most importantly, to the scenes on either side as you stand upon the bridge.  Each view from the bridge gives you a different impression.  On one side you might see dense forest and stone lanterns, on the other you might see an open meandering waterway filled with budding iris.

     Stone lanterns give each area of the garden the look of longevity and balance.  Longevity because the stone lanterns are solid, long lasting structures that somehow fit in this natural environment. Balance because each stone lantern is built from pieces of stone that interlock and literally balance on top of one another.

Artificiality is particularly important for all the man-made water features in Kenrokuen Garden. The small streams feed larger ponds that feed into larger lakes that contain islands and overhangs of foliage.  One area by “Misty Lake” is particularly significant.  In the photos below, on the left is the island of eternal youth, symbolized by the tortoise shape of the island.  On the right is an old pine tree that has been cultivated like a giant bonsai to overgrow the pond so much that wooden posts support its continued growth.

    The final pairing of contrasting concepts is “Abundant Water and yet Panoramic View.” As you have already seen above, Kenrokuen Garden utilizes water features beautifully. The Garden also features some stunning views due to it’s hilltop location. Panoramic Views are best seen from an elevated area or vista.  And, due to the laws of gravity, abundant water is normally found at the bottom of a valley or lower elevation.  Within the Japanese garden, both of these elements can be seen depending on which way you turn.

 

     Granted this phenomenon of Abundant Water could only be achieved via the concept of Artificiality;  meaning, with some help from civil engineering and careful design work. For example, this Japanese garden is at a lower level than the local river but does not lie in the path of the river. Therefore, water was carefully diverted and controlled so it supplied the garden acreage. River water, rich in silt, enters into a holding pond where the sediment is allowed to sink to the bottom. An underwater concrete wall, built within an inch of the surface, allows crystal clear water to gently roll over the top of the wall and then be channeled to different streams through the gardens. Even the river rocks are swept each week to keep them clean from contamination, creating a sparkling waterway where raised rocks and small waterfalls produce the gentle sounds of running water. There is even a large waterfall that flows into a beautiful lake in a private corner of the Garden, sheltered behind a hill. Stunning!

Stay tuned to our continuing Edventures in Japan as we hope and pray for the Sakura bloom. We have seen Plum trees at the end of their blooms, but we seem to be in Japan one week too soon for the Cherry Blossoms! We are counting on our time in Kyoto…