Tokyo, which was once a small fishing village called Edo, began to develop as a political and cultural centre in the early 17th century, when the Tokugawa shogunate established its capital in the city. It was at this time that gardens began to be laid out as symbols of power and beauty.
The concept of the Japanese garden has its roots in Shintoism and Buddhism: the garden should be a representation of paradise on earth and allow man to connect with nature. Real beauty is found in asymmetry, imperfection, simplicity and transience. And derives from the concept of wabi-sabi, so dear to tea masters. The balance between the elements is essential, creating harmony between full and empty, light and dark.
A Japanese garden cannot be imagined without the presence of water, stone, bridges and lanterns. Sometimes carp, considered to be "living flowers", light up the ponds. Lakes and streams symbolise tranquillity and continuity. Rocks and hills represent mountains and natural landscapes, creating varied vistas. Plants are carefully chosen and orchestrated to reflect the beauty of each season. The winding paths guide the visitor through the garden, encouraging a contemplative experience.
Derived from the tea garden adjoining the tea house, the gardens are an ode to nature recreated and shaped by the hand of man. Their organisation is made up of symbols, legendary evocations, constantly shifting perspectives and unveilings that the walker discovers along the way and throughout the seasons. Nothing is set in stone. Even stone is not considered an inanimate material. According to religion shinto it can be the receptacle of certain souls, of kamis, just as water, soil or mountains are. The thought shinto is based on a pantheistic vision of the world that is found throughout Japan. It has raised Japanese awareness of nature, its preservation and, above all, respect for it. The most tortuous trees, such as Japanese black pines, often pruned into clouds, are supported by wooden props as soon as they lean a little too far. Trees that appear to be dead are maintained for as long as there is life, if only through a tiny shoot.
Whether for a bucolic stroll or in-depth contemplation, these gardens embody a thousand-year-old tradition that continues to evolve while preserving the fundamental values of Japanese aesthetics and philosophy.
Shinjuku Gyoen: one of Japan's three national gardens
Just ten minutes from the bustling Shinjuku district, the National Garden Shinjuku Gyoen is considered to be one of the largest gardens in Tokyo, along with those of the Imperial Palace. It was the residence of Noburani Naito (1545-1612), a samurai from the Sengoku (1467-1600) and the early Edo period (1600-1868), in the service of the Tokugawa clan.
Covering more than 58 hectares, it became a botanical garden and then an imperial garden at the end of the 19th century.
A French heritage
This garden was the first Franco-Japanese project, designed and created by a Japanese horticulturist, Hayato Fukuba (1856-1921), and a French landscape gardener, Henri Martinet (1867-1938), intendant of the gardens of Versailles. Shinjuku Gyoen also developed the art of perspective as advocated by Édouard André (1840-1911), a landscape gardener, town planner and botanist representing the French Landscape School, emphasising the perspective of the garden through successive framing. In this way, we find the characteristics that were fashionable in the gardens of the Second Empire, a mix of regular gardens - plane tree avenues, rose gardens - and landscaped gardens with vast lawns and pathways differentiated according to their purpose.
The lakes are framed by avenues planted with black pines (Pinus thunbergii), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and ball-shaped azaleas. The access paths and walkways are laid out in straight, curved or landscaped lines. There are so many ways to admire the park from different angles.
A walking garden or Kaiyushiki
Opened to the public in 1949, after a complete restoration following the bombings of the Second World War, Shinjuku Gyoen is now one of Japan's most popular gardens. Its originality lies in its themed sections. These include a French-inspired garden, an English-style landscape garden and a traditional Japanese garden. With more than 1,500 cherry (sakura) trees, out of the 20,000 trees and shrubs that adorn the park, it is one of the best places in Japan to admire cherry blossom in spring. The season of hanami is fairly short, but with 68 varieties of tree, flowering lasts from February to the end of April.
Twice a year, some 500 rose bushes offer a fragrant display in a rose garden created at the end of the 19th century by landscape gardener Henri Martinet. The other seasons are not to be outdone, with azaleas in spring, hydrangeas in summer, and golden-coloured chrysanthemums and maples in autumn.
Lanterns, metaphors for the Universe
Of Buddhist origin, the toro represent the five elements of Buddhist cosmology. They are also found in Shinto temples. From bottom to top, the base that touches the ground represents the earth (chi), the second part represents water (sui), above which is the hearth symbolising fire (ka), then the wind (fu) and finally space (ku). The five elements that make up the universe are brought together in the lantern.
It takes around two hours to walk around the park and, outside the sakura season, the garden is very peaceful and inviting to contemplate. At weekends, many families come to picnic and relax on the licensed lawns.
Rikugien garden, elegant and poetic
Inspired by traditional poetry Waka, Rikugien is a vast landscaped garden in the Daimyo (feudal lord) style located between Sugamo and Komagome stations in the north of Tokyo. It was founded in 1702 by Yanagisawa Yashiyasu (1858-1714), confidant of the fifth shogun. Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, between 1695 and 1702.
Comprising 88 views reflecting classical Japanese poetry and Chinese literature, Rikugien is considered one of the most important gardens in Daymio, with its pond, islands and artificial hills. It was restored by the industrialist Iwasaki Yataro (1835-1885), founder of the Mistubishi company, and later became his second home. It was donated to the city of Tokyo in 1938. Originally, a stone pillar marked each of the garden's 88 admirable sites. Only 32 remain today.
You walk along the pond, its reflections changing according to the whims of the sky, enjoying the gentle landscape. The pond is surrounded by paths leading to various corners of the garden, two teahouses and an open pavilion built in the Meiji period. In the middle are two artificial hills : Imo-no-Yama and Se-no-yama. They refer to the man (Se) and women (Imo) in an ancient expression. This ensemble symbolises the hope of fertility and family prosperity.
Rikugien, like other gardens, attracts large numbers of visitors during the cherry blossom season and especially the red maple season, when the foliage lights up in autumn. Night-time illuminations are organised in November at the peak of the maple leafing season (momiji).
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, romantic and bucolic
Created at the beginning of the Edo period by the founder of the famous Tokugawa family in Mito, the garden of Koishikawa Korakuen is one of Tokyo's oldest and most famous gardens. It is an exceptional example of a Japanese garden, combining history, culture and aesthetics. Located in the Bunkyo district, it was completed during the reign of the clan chief Tokugawa Mitsukuni. The name 'Korakuen' literally means 'Garden of Later Joy', which refers to the idea of enjoying the pleasures of life after fulfilling one's duties.
Designed in the Daimyo style, this exceptional site is typical of strolling gardens. The central pond, embellished with rocks, is bordered by artificial hills. You come to the garden from Idabashi station, and it's in the light rain that we discover the garden as we walk along paths that take us through countryside landscapes: rice fields, iris beds, plum fields... Mitsukuni was so fond of plum blossoms that he had around thirty different species planted, which visitors admire from the moment they flower in February.
It may come as a surprise to see a rice field here, but Mitsukuni wanted his son's wife to understand the hard work of the peasants. Today, this work is entrusted to schoolchildren in the Bunkiyo-ku district, who transplant the plants in May and harvest the rice in October to preserve the tradition.
The garden at Koishikawa Korakuen illustrates the traditional principles of Japanese garden design, where each element is carefully chosen to create a harmonious balance with nature. The aesthetic wabi-sabi is also present, with an appreciation of the beauty of imperfections and the ephemeral. The stones that surround the pond or line the paths add a dimension of depth and solidity to the landscape. They are not simply decorative; they symbolise permanence and strength. Unlike plants, which change with the seasons, stones remain unchanged. They embody stability and durability, reminding visitors of the continuity of nature and time. When reflected in water, they create illusions of depth and interesting perspectives by directing the eye. This adds a dynamic visual dimension, inviting contemplation and discovery of the different facets of the garden.
The pines are often pruned into clouds, or niwaki. This type of pruning frees up the architecture of the trunk and main branches. It consists of forming trays by concentrating the vegetation in certain places, particularly at the ends of the branches. Pines are prized for their grace, but they also symbolise profound values of resilience, longevity and harmony with nature. They add to the beauty and meditative atmosphere of the garden.
The garden has been designated a First Category Historic Site and an Outstanding Site under the Law for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage. This double classification is granted only to a few major monuments, such as the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto.
Text and Photos : Brigitte Postel
https://www.japan.travel/fr/fr/
Wonderful report!!!
Understanding the symbolism makes it all the more easy to appreciate the beauty of these gardens!
Thank you Brigitte!