BRIEF HISTORY

 Earliest recorded Japanese gardens were the pleasure gardens of the Japanese emperors and
nobles.
 Chinese garden had a very strong influence on early Japanese gardens.

 The Japanese gardens were modest versions of the imperial gardens of the tang dynasty, China,
with large lakes scattered with artificial islands and artificial mountains.
 Layout of the garden was strictly according to the principles of traditional Chinese geomancy or
Feng shui.
 The landscapes of these gardens change frequently as the four seasons of japan
pass by them throughout a year.
 BASIC PRINCIPLES IN THE DESIGN OF JAPANESE GARDENS :

 NATURAL : To make the garden look as if it grew by itself .

 ASYMMETRY : To creates the impression of it being natural .
 ODD NUMBERS : To support the effect of asymmetry .
 SIMPLICITY : To follow the idea of ‘less is more’ .
 TRIANGLE : The most common shape in composition of stones and plants .
 CONTRAST : To creates tension between elements .
 LINES : To create both, tranquility ( calm ) and tension .
 CURVES : To soften the effect .
 OPENNESS : To indicate interaction between different elements .
ELEMENTS OF JAPANESE GARDENS :

 WATER

 ROCK AND SAND

 GARDEN BRIDGES

 STONE LANTERNS AND WATER BASINS

 GARDEN FENCES AND GATES

 TREES AND FLOWERS

 FISH
WATER :

 Water is used not just for its visual quality, but also for its sound.
 The Japanese have learnt to exploit the sound of water in all its various form.
 It varies from powerful waterfall to water falling into a water basin, creating different emotions.
 It represents the sea, lake, pond or river in nature.
 Non geometrical in appearance; in order to preserve the natural shapes, manmade ponds are
asymmetrical.
 The bank of the pond is usually bordered by stones
 A fountain is sometimes found at the bottom of a hill or hillside or forest.
ROCK AND SAND :
 The rocks are like the co ordinates of a garden project.
 Rocks and water also symbolize yin and yang (in Chinese philosophy it describes how seemingly
opposite may actually be complementary) .
 A vertical rock may represent mount Horai, the legendary home of the eight immortals and
a flat rock might represent the earth.
 Sand or gravel can represent a beach, or a flowing river .
 Rocks with strata or veins should have the veins all going in the same direction, and the rocks should
all be firmly planted in the earth, giving an appearance of firmness and permanence.
 ROCK AND SAND :
 Rocks are often used to represent islands and mountains, so conical or dome shaped rough volcanic
rocks would be the obvious choice.(Kansai)
 Hard metamorphic rocks are usually placed by waterfalls or streams.
 A jagged textured rock gives feeling of timelessness and dignity.
 Smooth rocks like water worn stones or glacial boulders convey the feeling of antiquity (ancient past)
especially when combined in an interesting shape are used around lakes or as stepping stones.
 Rocks are arranged in careful compositions of two, three, five or seven rocks, with three being the
most common.
 In a three-arrangement, a tallest rock usually represents heaven, the shortest rock is the earth, and
the medium-sized rock is humanity, the bridge between heaven and earth.
GARDEN BRIDGES :

 Bridges could be made of stone (ishibashi), or of wood, or made of logs with earth on top, covered
with moss (dobashi).
 They could be either arched (soribashi) or flat (hirabashi) or zig–zag in shape. They are always in
harmony with surrounding nature.
 Bridges can be painted red if it is used for temple garden, as per Chinese tradition.
 Bridges are privileged sites in a japanese garden, where one will linger and take in the beauty of the
landscape, watch the carps swimming in their watery elements, and enjoy the softness of the breeze.
STONE LANTERNS AND WATER BASINS :

 Stone water basins, (tsukubai) were originally placed in gardens for visitors to wash their
hands and mouth before the tea ceremony.

 The water is provided to the basin by a bamboo pipe or kakei, and they usually have a
wooden ladle for drinking the water.
STONE LANTERNS AND WATER BASINS :

 A stone lantern (dai-doro) represents the five

elements of buddhist cosmology.

 The piece touching the ground represents

chi, the earth; the next section represents
sui, or water; ka or fire, is represented by the
section encasing the lantern's light or flame,
while fū (air) and kū (void or spirit) are
represented by the last two sections, top-
most and pointing towards the sky.

 The segments express the idea that after

death our physical bodies will go back to
their original, elemental form.
 GARDEN FENCES AND GATES :

 Fences or sodegaki are screens used to hide any view or element.

 They are about 6’ to 7’ high and add colour and texture to the garden.

 Material used are bamboo, wood, twigs of bamboo or tree.

 TREES AND FLOWERS :

 Nothing in a japanese garden is natural or

left to chance.
 Each plant is chosen either to hide
undesirable sights, to serve as a backdrop
to certain garden features, or to create a
picturesque scene, like a landscape
painting or postcard.
 Trees are carefully chosen and arranged for
their autumn colors.
 Moss is often used to suggest that the
garden is ancient.
 Flowers are also carefully chosen by their
season of flowering.
 Formal flowerbeds are rare in older
gardens, but more common in modern
gardens.
TREES AND FLOWERS :
 Some plants are chosen for their religious
symbolism, such as the lotus, sacred in buddhist
teachings, or the pine, which represents longevity.
 The trees are carefully trimmed to provide
attractive scenes, and to prevent them from
blocking other views of the garden.
 Their growth is also controlled, in a technique
called niwaki, to give them more picturesque
shapes, and to make them look more ancient.
 They are sometimes constrained to bend, in order
to provide shadows or better reflections in the
water.
 Very old pine trees are often supported by
wooden crutches, or their branches are held by
cords, to keep them from breaking under the
weight of snow.
TREES AND FLOWERS :
 Moss:
• It is a primitive plant with different varieties.
• It needs damp shady conditions in order to flourish.
• It is most often found in woodland area under the shade of trees
 Serviceberry (zai-furi boku)
In spring, the serviceberry is a charming sight, with its masses of white flowers.
It is considered a symbol of youth in japan.
In fall, it is remarkable for its gold and scarlet foliage and tiny blue berries.
Winter is the perfect backdrop for the silvery bark of the serviceberry,
Its year-round attractions make it the star of garden.

 Pine (matsu)
Some have an airy silhouette with widespread branches, others are dense and
compact,
While still others lean over as if battered by the wind.
It creates a quiet, cosy screen that shields visitors from outside distractions.
TREES AND FLOWERS :
Japanese maple (momiji)
 It has lacy leaves and magnificent autumn colours, making it a favourite.
 It is taken indoors in winter and brought back outdoors in spring.
 They are gradually being replaced with amur maples, a hardier species.

Lotus (hasu)
 This "flower of buddha", is considered a divine and sacred plant.
 The lotus flower, with its lovely, huge corolla, blooms in summer to offer a
fleeting vision of delicate shades of pink and white.

Shrub peony (botan)

 They flower in late spring.
 Their flowers, in hues of pink, mauve and yellow, last only a few days.
 Require considerable attention and winter protection, are a symbol of
prosperity .
TREES AND FLOWERS :
Horsetail (takusa)
 It is native to québec and lives in marshy environments. Used as a substitute
for bamboo.
 Its simple, pure lines make a clever stand-in for masses of bamboo.

Crabapple (hime-ringo)
 The crabapple's abundant white and pink flowers in spring symbolize youth
and renewal.

Rhododendron (tsutsuji)
 It has bright pink, red, purple and white blossoms. These charming flowers,
with their delicate petals, symbolize fragile and ephemeral beauty.

Iris (airisu)
 They flower from late may to mid-july, in soft tones of pink, blue and white.
 Remarkable for its huge flowers.
FISH :
 The use of fish, particularly nishiki-goi (colored carp), or goldfish as a decorative
element in gardens was borrowed from the Chinese garden.

 Koi were developed from common carp in Japan in the 1820s.

 Koi are domesticated common carp (Cyprinus carpio) that are selected or culled for
color.
GARDEN STYLES :
POND GARDEN
 The chisen-shoyū-teien ("lake-spring-boat excursion garden") was imported from
China.
 It featured a large, ornate residence with two long wings.
 Each wing ended in a pavilion from which guests could enjoy the views of the lake.
GARDEN STYLES :
PARADISE GARDEN
 They were meant to symbolize Paradise or the Pure Land (Jōdo), where the Buddha sat on a
platform contemplating a lotus pond.

 These gardens featured a lake island called Nakajima, where the Buddha hall was located,
connected to the shore by an arching bridge.
 GARDEN STYLES :
TEA GARDEN
 The style of garden takes its name from the roji, or path to the teahouse, which is supposed to
inspire the visitor to meditation to prepare him for the ceremony.
 There is an outer garden, with a gate and covered arbor where guests wait for the invitation to enter.
They then pass through a gate to the inner garden, where they wash their hands and rinse their
mouth.
 The path is always kept moist and green, so it will look like a remote mountain path, and there are no
bright flowers that might distract the visitor from his meditation.
 GARDEN STYLES :
COURTYARD GARDEN

 Originally found in the interior courtyards of palaces, and were

designed to give a glimpse of nature and some privacy to the
residents of the rear side of the building.

 They were as small as one tsubo, or about 3.3 square meters.

 These tiny gardens were meant to be seen, not entered, and

usually had a stone lantern, a water basin, stepping stones and a
few plants.
 GARDEN STYLES :
DRY ROCK OR ZEN GARDEN

 These gardens have white sand or raked gravel in place of water, carefully arranged rocks, and
sometimes rocks and sand covered with moss.

 Their purpose is to facilitate meditation, and they are meant to be viewed while seated on the porch
of the residence of the hōjō, the abbot of the monastery.
 GARDEN STYLES :
STROLL GARDEN

 These gardens have white sand or raked gravel in place of water, carefully arranged rocks, and
sometimes rocks and sand covered with moss.

 Their purpose is to facilitate meditation, and they are meant to be viewed while seated on the porch
of the residence of the hōjō, the abbot of the monastery.
 GARDEN STYLES :
STROLL GARDEN

 There is no inner or outer garden to be found but a path which is made only for a leisurely stroll. One
has to follow a clockwise direction while walking through the path.
 It features a small central lake and pond with a path going around it.
 Boulders and trees could add extra beauty to this garden and usually they are featured.
 Gives an opportunity to reveal the whole garden beauty from different directions.
PHILOSOPHY

• avoid artificial ornamentation

• highlight the natural landscape.

• Plants and worn, aged materials suggest an ancient & natural

landscape.

• express the fragility of existence as well as time's unstoppable

advance.
COMPARISON - Architecture.

Chinese
• Gardens have buildings in the centre of the garden, occupying a large
part of the garden space.
• The buildings are placed next to or over the central body of water.
• The garden buildings are very elaborate, with much architectural
decoration.
Japanese
• the buildings are well apart from the body of water,
• The buildings are simple, with very little ornament.
• The architecture in a Japanese garden is largely or partly concealed.
COMPARISON -Viewpoint.
Chinese
• Designed to be seen from the inside, from the buildings, galleries
and pavilions in the centre of the garden.

Japanese

• Designed to be seen from the outside, as in the Japanese rock

garden or Zen garden; or from a path winding through the garden.
COMPARISON -Use of Rocks.
Chinese
 Particularly in the Ming dynasty, rocks were selected for their
extraordinary shapes or resemblance to animals or mountains, and
used for dramatic effect.
 They were often the stars and centre pieces of the garden.
Japanese
 Rocks were smaller and placed in more natural arrangements,
Integrated into the garden.
COMPARISON -Marine Landscapes
Chinese
 inspired by Chinese inland landscapes, particularly Chinese lakes and
mountains

Japanese
 Often use miniaturized scenery from the Japanese coast.
 frequently include white sand or pebble beaches and rocks which
seem to have been worn by the waves and tide, which rarely appear
in Chinese gardens
MODERN DEVELOPMENT - (1912 to present)

• During the Showa period (1926–1988), many traditional gardens were built
by businessmen and politicians.
• After World War II, the principal builders of gardens were no longer private
individuals, but banks, hotels, universities and government agencies.
• The Japanese garden became an extension of the architecture of the
building.
• New gardens were designed by architecture school graduates, and often
used modern building materials, such as concrete.
• Modern gardens have taken a much more radical approach to the
traditions.
MODERN DEVELOPMENT - Hyakudanen

• One example is Awaji Yumebutai, a garden on the island of Awaji, in

the Seto Inland Sea of Japan, designed by Tadao Ando.
• It was built as part of a resort and conference centre on a steep slope,
where land had been stripped away to make an island for an airport.
• One of the most distinctive features in the complex is the Hyakudanen
or "hundred stepped gardens"
• It is a group of 100 flower beds (small square gardens) on an incline,
arranged in grids spread over several levels.
• The "hundred" refers to the number of mini-gardens and not the
steps, as there are 1575 steps and 235 flights.
MODERN DEVELOPMENT - Hyakudanen

• An incredible terraces made of 100 squares were created in memory

of the Great Hanshin earthquake, which killed 6434 people.

• These squares are planted with flowers, meanwhile at night a subtle

light makes it even more compelling and enigmatic.

• Every square features a range of versatile flowers, therefore a

colourful diversity makes it look very lively, vivid and even amusing.

• This is a Japanese approach to death – By celebrating life the spirits

of living and dead unite.
CASE STUDY –
Pu La Deshpande Garden, Pune
Pu La Deshpande Garden, Pune
Pu La Deshpande Garden, Pune

• Pune-Okayama
Friendship Garden or
Pu La Deshpande
Udyan is a garden
located on Sinhagad
Road in Pune,
Maharashtra, India.
• It was introduced in
inspiration of 300-
year-old Okayama’s
Koraku-en Garden, so
it is also called as
Pune-Okayama
Friendship Garden.
Pu La Deshpande Garden, Pune

• Pune Okayama Friendship Garden is a symbol of Indo-Japanese

friendship between partner cities of Pune and Okayama and the
garden is truly the pride of Pune.

• This garden is a perfect bridge between to cities of Okayama and

Pune, encouraging cultural, traditional, economical, industrial and
friendship ties.

• This is the biggest garden of Japanese style out of Japan, in Asia.

Pu La Deshpande Garden, Pune

• The idea of recreating the original Japanese garden in Pune was, of

course, inspired from the 300-year old Okayama Korakuen Garden
developed by Ikeda Royal family in the 12 specious hectares in
Okayama.

• This Japanese garden has been named after Pu. La. Deshpande, who
was a well known Marathi writer from Maharashtra, India. He was
awarded Padma Bhushan in 1990.
Pu La Deshpande Garden, Pune

• The Japanese garden is spread over an area of 10 acres, representing

the culture and intricate ideology of an authentic Japanese Garden.
The garden planning help visitors to experience the changing the
nature throughout the year.
• As a person strolls, he can enjoy the wide Lawns, Ponds, Artificial hills
and Forest, While listening to the murmur of meandering stream.
• The style is devised in such a way that people can take a walk through
a garden enjoying the landscape, which changes along the garden
paths.
• This would bring the close to nature, revitalize there senses and
rejuvenate them spiritually.
Pu La Deshpande Garden, Pune

• The characteristic of the garden are a composition of fire, harmony,

line, spirit, world and water.
• Thus the garden express the various elements to speak about light
and darkness, soft and hard, stillness and motion, warm and cold.
• It is based on the Yin and Yang philosophy a great foreground.
• There are wooden pergolas to sit and rest. There are bright red
orange fish in the ponds.
• The garden contains natural flow of water from canal which is been
spread across the garden.
• It boasts of variety of Flaura and Fauna.
Pu La Deshpande Garden, Pune

• Garden Timing- Morning 6:00am – 10:30am, Evening 4:00pm –

8:00pm.
• The entry fee is 5 rupees for adults and children 3 years and above.
• The eatables are not allowed in the garden.
• There is a paid parking space available outside the garden.
• Also children can enjoy in a children play area near parking.
Pu La Deshpande Garden, Pune
LAYOUT
Pu La Deshpande Garden, Pune