The Japanese garden – a true work of art

With its simple, elegant beauty, Asian culture and the associated garden art increasingly fascinate Europeans as well.

The Japanese garden has its origins in China and Korea. Japanese monks who toured these countries brought garden art to Japan and over the centuries many different styles of garden design have emerged there that are still used today.

Water is an essential part of the Japanese garden

In the land of the rising sun, a lot of traditional, old gardens such as Zen gardens, pond gardens, changing gardens, viewing gardens or tea gardens have been preserved through consistent care. As a result, you can now visit and understand the history of Japanese garden art in many public gardens.

You can also design a Japanese garden yourself

Most Japanese gardens are based on a landscape theme, the effect of which is supported by certain garden elements. For example, the creation of hills and valleys gives the garden its basic terrain modeling. Natural stones of all kinds and straight paths give the entire garden existence. Fences in the most varied of variants are in most cases made of fast-growing bamboo designed. They structure and decorate the garden and create individual garden spaces. Stone lanterns are often used as decorative elements to set focal points in the garden. Ponds with small islands and arched bridges made of wood or bamboo are also special design motifs in Japanese garden art.

Japanese gardens invite you to meditate

In larger gardens, covered seating with flat roofs and simple, elegant huts are used, which provide protection and privacy. Every building in the Japanese garden looks very natural and is made of materials of very high, fine quality. This creates beautifully composed, framed garden views. In order to strengthen this effect, plants are chosen that often have a wild character, such as pine azaleas, grasses, low bamboo species, ferns, mosses and irises. The green tones dominate. Only a few flowering varieties are used as individual highlights in Japanese gardens. But most of the trees change color in autumn. The evergreens of it structure the garden through the winter.

japanese zen garden

In the past, a very beautiful and essential element of Japanese gardening was the water basin. It was used to cleanse the hand and mouth, so it was the symbol for spiritual cleansing. The tea guest performed this purification as a ritual before entering the tea hut to take part in the tea ceremony. Today, water basins are used more as a decorative element. It seldom stands on its own, but is tied into an arrangement of rocks and stepping stones, which together are called tsukubai.

japanese garden with wooden bridge

Today the Tsukubai is designed as a kind of water feature in many small gardens. Water is supplied to the pool via a bamboo pipe, which then runs over the edge of the pool into a storage container. The variety of the different water basins made of natural stone is almost limitless, although there are quite a few typical representatives. Basically, the following rule applies: Everything that is beautiful is allowed.

Japanese garden with a small pond

Instead of admiring such a garden from a distance, you can also insert one yourself to find peace and relaxation from the stressful everyday life there. You can get ideas and inspiration for your place of reflection and reflection from our beautiful picture gallery!

Japanese garden with a small hut

Tsukubai and stone lantern

Place for reflection and reflection in your own courtyard

Japanese garden in front of your own house