What Is a Japanese Garden?
If you’ve ever been to a Japanese garden, you’ll remember the extraordinary sense of peace and tranquillity these gardens help inspire. Japanese gardens also look very different from Western gardens—they are meticulously designed, with a vocabulary of elements you won’t usually find in, say, an American or English garden.
What exactly is a Japanese garden? What materials and features are characteristic of these serene outdoor spaces? Landscaping professionals help us navigate this beautiful garden design style.
What Is a Japanese Garden?
The first thing to know about a Japanese garden is that it is a highly symbolic space. The different elements in this type of garden represent different aspects of our relationship with nature. The origins of today’s Japanese gardens lie in the Zen gardens of Japanese Buddhist temples from the 13th century onwards. These weren’t pleasure gardens or flower gardens, but meditative spaces meant to accompany contemplative and spiritual practice.
In the words of the art historian and explorer Langdon Warner, Japanese gardens are designed “to express the highest truths of religion and philosophy precisely as other civilisations have made use of the arts of literature and philosophy”.
Michael Clarke, Landscape Architect & Founder of Yardwork, emphasizes that in a Japanese garden, all the elements “are placed in a meaningful way to create a tranquil, meditative environment.” That’s not to say that a Japanese garden should look neat in a rigid way, though; instead, “everything is designed to feel organic, with asymmetry and balance being key.”
You won’t find symmetrical design or straight lines in a Japanese garden because the idea is to imitate nature, just in a highly stylized way. Japanese culture values the imperfect, so you likely will see elements that seem to have been placed casually.
Japanese Gardens: Main Elements
Before we go into the characteristic features of Japanese gardens, it’s worth saying that the most important element of them all might be…empty space. Japanese gardens are famous for being uncluttered and serene to promote an uncluttered mind. To non-Buddhists, Japanese gardens look minimalist—which also makes them easy to maintain and very suited to small spaces. You don’t need acres of land to create the right look, just a few key elements.
Rocks and stones
The most prominent feature of Japanese gardens is their ample use of rocks and stones. As Josh Heston, Co-Owner of ALC Property Maintenance, points out, “Each stone in the garden has its own function, emphasizing the connection between man and nature.” Traditionally, Japanese Zen monasteries even referred to garden designers as “rock-setting priests.” There is no hard-and-fast rule for how stones and rocks should be placed—it’s up to the gardener to decide.
Water
Ponds, streams, and waterfalls are all typical elements in a Japanese garden. Koi ponds with koi carp are very common. Note that koi carp live a long time (up to 50 years), so you’ll need to look after them potentially for decades.
The sound of the water can be as important as the look. Stone and wood or bamboo are materials of choice. A typical water feature in a Japanese garden is a stone basin with a bamboo dripper and/or a scoop.
Sand and gravel
If you say ‘Japanese garden', what comes to mind for many people is an area filled with fine, raked gravel. It's the most iconic—and photogenic—feature of these gardens. The gravel can be raked in waves, lines, or concentric circles. Whichever design you choose, this ‘dry garden’ element represents water where there isn’t any.
Bridges and paths
According to Heston, “bridges & winding paths symbolize changes in life, guiding visitors through the garden and inviting them to reflect on the path ahead.” As with other elements, bridges are crafted from natural materials like stone, wood, or bamboo. Paths are commonly constructed from stepping stones, which helps achieve that covetable imperfect, natural look in the garden.
Stone lanterns
Stone lanterns were typically built for Japanese tea ceremonies and can be tall or short. Most are purely decorative these days.
Restrained planting
The Japanese garden “has both evergreen species, such as pine and maple trees, and flowering plants, such as sakura and irises”, says Heston. Plants are typically well spaced out in a Japanese garden. In the case of Japanese maples or acers, it’s actually a requirement of the plants: these gorgeous trees don’t like competing for space in the garden.
While a couple of tall trees are common, dwarf varieties are often chosen for their neat growing habit. Look for dwarf pines in particular.
Instead of the dense tapestry of colorful flowers common in Western gardens, expect an emphasis on evergreens and moss, with a few careful floral placements. Less is more here and, unlike in a Western garden, flowers are never the focal point in a Japanese garden. You’ll find them as accents dotted here and there, but not densely planted in flower beds.
If you want to go really traditional, then a sakura (cherry tree) is a must.
Structures
Traditionally, a Japanese garden has a gate. Boundaries, in general, are very important in a Japanese garden, to symbolize transitions between different areas. Bamboo or cedar fences are common, and if you want to go super traditional, you can build a viewing pavilion or gazebo with a characteristic pointed-edged roof.
While you may see a painted gate or bridge, generally, structures in Japanese gardens are left with a natural finish so they can acquire a weathered, lived-in look over time.
None of these elements are an absolute requirement and they’re not all present in a Japanese garden altogether. It’s always up to the gardener to place elements judiciously and sparingly. On a practical level, this makes Japanese garden design pretty easy and, if you don’t include too many structures, cost-effective.
You don’t need a lot of plants or elements to create the elegant Japanese garden look. Focus on good-quality, natural materials and on creating a tranquil sensory experience. What speaks to you—a water bowl with a gently trickling dripper? A gravel area you can rake to create a mindful moment? The choice is always yours to make.
