2008年07月03日
Gardens in Hakuba
If you come in Hakuba take your time and go for a long walk. You will be very pleasant surprised not only of the beautiful mountains seen in white and green but also by the beautiful gardens with flowers and nice arrangements.
Japanese people like flowers and everyone works hard to keep his garden beautiful. Hakuba is famous for big snowfalls but even those can’t destroy the gardens because their owners work hard to maintain them.
In my walk I could enjoy gardens from simple ones until more sophisticated gardens as Japanese gardens.
I even enjoyed seeing many bonsai in one of the gardens.
Japanese gardens (日本庭園 nihon teien), that is, gardens in traditional Japanese style, can be found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, and at historical landmarks such as Buddhist temples and old castles.
In Japanese culture, garden-making is a high art, intimately related to the linked arts of calligraphy and ink painting.
Typical Japanese gardens have at their center a home from which the garden is viewed.
In addition to residential architecture, Japanese gardens often contain several of these elements:
- Water, real or symbolic.
- Rocks.
- A lantern, typically of stone.
- A teahouse or pavilion.
- An enclosure device such as a hedge, fence, or wall of traditional character.
- A bridge to the island, or stepping stones.
Though often thought of as tranquil sanctuaries that allow individuals to escape from the stresses of daily life, Japanese gardens are designed for a variety of purposes. Some gardens invite quiet contemplation, but may have also been intended for recreation, the display of rare plant specimens, or the exhibition of unusual rocks.
Stones are used to construct the garden's paths, bridges, and walkways. Stones can also represent a geological presence where actual mountains are not viewable or present. They are sometimes placed in odd numbers and a majority of the groupings reflect triangular shapes, which often are the mountains of China.
A water source in a Japanese garden should appear to be part of the natural surroundings; this is why one will not find fountains in traditional gardens. Man-made streams are built with curves and irregularities to create a serene and natural appearance. Lanterns are often placed beside some of the most prominent water basins (either a pond or a stream) in a garden. In some gardens one will find a dry pond or stream. Dry ponds and streams have as much impact as do the ones filled with water.
Green plants are another element of Japanese gardens. Japanese traditions prefer subtle green tones, but flowering trees and shrubs are also used.
Japanese people like flowers and everyone works hard to keep his garden beautiful. Hakuba is famous for big snowfalls but even those can’t destroy the gardens because their owners work hard to maintain them.
In my walk I could enjoy gardens from simple ones until more sophisticated gardens as Japanese gardens.
I even enjoyed seeing many bonsai in one of the gardens.
Japanese gardens (日本庭園 nihon teien), that is, gardens in traditional Japanese style, can be found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, and at historical landmarks such as Buddhist temples and old castles.
In Japanese culture, garden-making is a high art, intimately related to the linked arts of calligraphy and ink painting.
Typical Japanese gardens have at their center a home from which the garden is viewed.
In addition to residential architecture, Japanese gardens often contain several of these elements:
- Water, real or symbolic.
- Rocks.
- A lantern, typically of stone.
- A teahouse or pavilion.
- An enclosure device such as a hedge, fence, or wall of traditional character.
- A bridge to the island, or stepping stones.
Though often thought of as tranquil sanctuaries that allow individuals to escape from the stresses of daily life, Japanese gardens are designed for a variety of purposes. Some gardens invite quiet contemplation, but may have also been intended for recreation, the display of rare plant specimens, or the exhibition of unusual rocks.
Stones are used to construct the garden's paths, bridges, and walkways. Stones can also represent a geological presence where actual mountains are not viewable or present. They are sometimes placed in odd numbers and a majority of the groupings reflect triangular shapes, which often are the mountains of China.
A water source in a Japanese garden should appear to be part of the natural surroundings; this is why one will not find fountains in traditional gardens. Man-made streams are built with curves and irregularities to create a serene and natural appearance. Lanterns are often placed beside some of the most prominent water basins (either a pond or a stream) in a garden. In some gardens one will find a dry pond or stream. Dry ponds and streams have as much impact as do the ones filled with water.
Green plants are another element of Japanese gardens. Japanese traditions prefer subtle green tones, but flowering trees and shrubs are also used.