Karesansui: Japan’s Zen Gardens and 5 Famous Places to Visit Japan Travel Guide MATCHA

Moss is an essential element of Japanese gardens and provides visitors with a sense of peace. The entire garden is composed like one giant painting, and the beauty of the moss particularly stands out. Some representative gardens are Kogetsudai, Ginshadan, and Tokai-an Hojo Nantei in Kyoto. The gardens at Daitokuji Honbo Jotei in Kyoto and Fugenji Teien in Yamaguchi are examples of this style, which adds short mountains to the hiraniwa style. Zen gardens are not meant for strolling, but for contemplation; they are made for visitors to focus their gaze on as they consider the meaning of space. Before long, ceremonial venues moved indoors, and karesansui gardens were created to serve as spaces for contemplation and Zen meditation.

Another word in Man’yōshū is sono, likely to mean garden (bordered fields) in a portion of the poem describing plum flowers. The unique physical structure of the country, its fauna, and flora became the basis for the garden already in prehistoric times. To achieve this tranquil aesthetic, incorporate clean lines, natural materials, and a minimalist approach to planting. Soft greens and earthy tones enhance the serene atmosphere, making it essential to incorporate natural textures and minimalistic decor. The harmonious blend of gravel, boulders, and low-maintenance plantings creates a tranquil environment, inviting relaxation and mindfulness. Incorporating clean lines and subtle textures, such as bamboo and gravel, enhances the calming atmosphere, perfect for mindful reflection.

Ritsurin Garden – A Garden that Beautifully Blends Japanese Pine Trees, Ponds, and Bridges (Kagawa Prefecture)

Creating a Zen garden is not just about raking sand or scattering stones—there is deep intentionality behind each decision. Monks created Zen rock gardens within temple grounds to aid meditation. But it was during Japan’s Muromachi period (1336–1573) that Zen gardens flourished, particularly in Kyoto’s temple culture. Zen Japanese gardens date back over a thousand years, influenced by Chinese landscape painting, Buddhism, and Shinto reverence for nature. Skillfully laid-out paths provide a changing landscape of rocks, water, lanterns, and plants.

In Japan the critique was taken over by Yamada Shouji who took a critical stance to the understanding of all Japanese culture, including gardens, under the nominator of Zen. A review of the quotes of Buddhist priests that are taken to “prove” Zen for the garden are actually phrases copied from Chinese treatises on landscape painting. The critique comes down to the fact that Buddhist priests were not trying to express Zen in gardens. That the Buddhism of Zen influenced garden design was first suggested not in Japan, but in the West by a Hawaiian garden journalist Loraine Kuck in the 1930s and disputed as such by a scholar of Japanese garden history, Wybe Kuitert in 1988. The researchers claim the subconscious mind is sensitive to a subtle association between the rocks.

The garden at Tenryū-ji has a real pond with water and a dry waterfall of rocks looking like a Chinese landscape. In traditional Zen garden landscapes, Japanese sand or gravel is used to symbolize water or emptiness. The serene combination of soft white sand, textured stones, and lush green moss creates a calming atmosphere that invites mindfulness and reflection. Must-have elements include large, smooth stones, vibrant green moss, and raked gravel to define pathways.

The architect who laid out both the mansion and the garden, Josiah Conder, was nicknamed the “father of Japanese modern architecture”. The pathway toward the villa at the top of the hill is framed by a French-style rose garden and a Japanese garden down the hill. In the early 20th century, Baron Toranosuke Furukawa built an Italian-style mansion with a second floor featuring Japanese design.

The garden is arranged around a large pond that twists and winds around the garden, creating inlets, islands, and secret views. This Edo-period stroll garden is considered to be a masterpiece of the Japanese garden. Katsura Imperial Villa was designed to be the ideal Japanese villa by incorporating skillfully designed details, exotic trees such as palm trees, and a lake with an adorned shoreline which allows you to see incredible panoramas when strolling around the garden. The garden is also appreciated for its stunning autumnal scenery, so visitors should consider paying a visit to this impressive temple during the autumn months.

Japanese painters such as Sesshū Tōyō (1420–1506) and Soami (died 1525) greatly simplified their views of nature, showing only the most essential aspects of nature, leaving great areas of white around the black and gray drawings. The garden at Daisen-in (1509–1513) took a more literary approach than Ryōan-ji. The garden is meant to be viewed from a seated position on the veranda of the hōjō, the residence of the abbot of the monastery. The scene was called ginshanada, literally “sand of silver and open sea”. Saihō-ji and Tenryū-ji show the transition from the Heian style garden toward a more abstract and stylized view of nature. The first, called Kameshima, the island of the turtle, resembles a turtle swimming in a “lake” of moss.

Zen gardens as they are known overseas, were originally created and designed by buddhist monks as a practice to calm the mind and help with meditation. While water is often a prominent part of Japanese gardens, some actually display no water at all. Japanese gardens are meticulously designed to feel more vast than they actually are. There are various gardens throughout Japan that utilize space, water, and sound among other things. Zen gardens continue to inspire artists, designers and thinkers around the world, testifying to their timeless power to captivate the imagination and nourish the spirit. The rocks represent dragons emerging from the clouds, protectors of the Kongobu-ji temple .

The Essential Elements of Zen Gardens

Still water reflects life, while flowing water represents continuity. These facts influenced each other to give us a Japanese traditional garden. A more contemporary garden is Awaji Yumebutai on the island of Awaji. Additionally, Tofuku-ji is one of the five great Zen temples in Kyoto. It is said to have set the trend for reviving the Japanese gardening concepts in the 20th century.

• The history of creating waterless gardens in confined spaces dates back to the 11th century.
• At the time Japan was ruled by Daoist China, but the principles of the Dao were easily integrated into the naturalistic focus of Shinto.
• To recreate this look, include strategically placed boulders, low-maintenance grasses, and a focal point like a stone sculpture or water feature.
• A Japanese zen garden provides a beautiful, relaxing space perfect for meditation, reflection, or simply enjoyment.
• These gardens offer a unique meditative experience and are a must on any visit to Kyoto’s Zen temples.

The harmonious blend of gravel, stone, and lush greenery creates a tranquil retreat, inviting mindfulness and reflection in any outdoor space. To recreate this look, include Japanese maples, ferns, and boxwoods, along with gravel pathways and carefully arranged non gamstop casinos boulders for added interest. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just someone seeking a little calm in the chaos, these gardens are sure to spark that sense of tranquility we all crave. As I dove into the world of these tranquil spaces, I found a treasure trove of 24 stunning Zen gardens that each whisper their own unique story. There’s something truly magical about Japanese Zen gardens that draws me in every time.

This garden appears to have been strongly influenced by Chinese landscape painting of the Song dynasty, which feature mountains rising in the mist, and a suggestion of great depth and height. Muso Kokushi built another temple garden at Tenryū-ji, the “Temple of the Celestial Dragon”. The upper garden is a dry rock garden which features three rock “islands”. But in Kyoto in the 14th and 15th century, a new kind of garden appeared at the important Zen temples. These early gardens were described in the first manual of Japanese gardens, Sakuteiki (“Records of Garden Keeping”), written at the end of the 11th century by Tachibana no Toshitsuna (1028–1094). The Japanese dry garden (枯山水, karesansui) or Japanese rock garden, often called a Zen garden, is a distinctive style of Japanese garden.

A harmonious blend of gravel and stone creates a tranquil space, while gentle curves invite contemplation and relaxation. The tranquil interplay of smooth stones and soft greenery creates a harmonious balance, inviting reflection and peace in a minimalist style. A harmonious blend of soft greens and textured stones creates a tranquil path, inviting peaceful contemplation and connection with nature.