Japan is a country that has long influenced architects and it is a destination that inspires the team here at Mathieson. The Japanese approach to design and the integration of architecture and landscape aligns closely with our belief in wholistic design - one where architecture, landscape, and detail converge to create a cohesive and meaningful experience.
Japanese landscape design explores this philosophy, crafting spaces that invite tranquillity and reflection. Kyoto is home to some of Japans’ most beautiful gardens that particularly resonate with our interest in spaces of calm and simplicity.
The gardens of Tenryu-ji makes use of the Japanese concept of shakkei, or 'borrowed scenery', from the nearby hills of Arashiyama.
The use of empty, or negative space, is a key concept of Japanese landscape, in particular Zen rock gardens. Austere and uncluttered, they embrace a simplicity with a minimum of elements whilst having a profound beauty. The rock garden at Ryoan-ji is the most celebrated zen dry garden with 15 rocks set in patches of moss within a simple rectangle of 250m2 of raked pebbles. It exemplifies the notion of beauty in emptiness. It provides the opportunity for the mind to relax while engaging the senses and allows the viewer to immerse themselves in a contemplative experience, finding new perspectives and interpretations with each viewing. The careful placement of rocks and use of negative space encourages an openness in perception, inviting the viewer to interpret the scene based on their own thoughts and emotions. This sense of tranquillity and introspection is central to the philosophy of Zen, where simplicity becomes a conduit for mindfulness. In observing the garden, one becomes aware of the interplay between form and emptiness, embracing the balance between the seen and the unseen.
Ryoan-ji. A simple rectangle of raked pebbles
Dynamic rock groupings at Ryoan-ji
Saiho-ji is a World Heritage site and is famed for its moss gardens. Designed around a central pond the garden is entirely covered in over 120 varieties of moss. The experience is one of immersion in a landscape of greenness and quiet. Visitors to the temple and gardens are encouraged to begin their experience calming their minds by participating in the simple act of copying sutra before walking around the garden. It is an experience that I would highly recommend.
“The experience is one of immersion in a landscape of greenness and quiet.”
Phillip Mathieson
The gardens of Katsura Imperial Villa
Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion, has a wonderful garden that encapsulate many design principals of other zen gardens. The 'Shakkei' technique is beautifully paired with 'miegakure' - ‘hide and reveal’ - a technique that allows for new perspectives from different angles. This garden features elements like hidden rocks and small islands that can only be discovered by moving through the space, creating a sense of surprise and discovery. Ginkaku-ji also incorporates a moss garden that was inspired by Saiho-ji together with a large dry garden - a sea of silver sand - and a moon viewing platform - 'kogetsu-dai'.
The Silver Pavilion of Ginkaku-ji
Choontei garden of Kennin-ji
