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Daimyo garden

Koraku-en is one of the most famous Japanese gardens, located in Okayama, Japan. A garden like this is called a daimyo (feudal lord) garden. In my understanding, the name “daimyo garden” does not refer to a style but a general term for the gardens that feudal lords in the Edo

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Harmony between a garden and a house

庭屋一如 (tei-oku-ichi-nyo) – This is the word expressing a harmonious condition of a garden and a house. I think that many Japanese garden designers consider it a fundamental principle. Traditionally, houses in Japan were designed to achieve comfort in hot summer. This kind of house is a post and beam

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Imperfection in Japanese gardens

“The flow of the river never ceases, and the water never stays the same…” This is the opening phrase of Hojoki, a famous Japanese essay by Kamono Chomei in the 13 century. Almost all Japanese children learn this in their schools. I think that transience is something that many Japanese

Read More »
Shishi-Odoshi in Japanese garden

Shishi-Odoshi as a garden element

Shishi-Odoshi, or scare-deer is a device to frighten deer away. It is a unique garden element that you can see in residential gardens in Japan now. As you see in the photo below, a bamboo tube is set like a seesaw. when the open cut side has water in, the

Read More »

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Penguin Environmental Design
56 Lynmoor Place, Hamden, CT 06517
info@pedarch.com

Blog

Daimyo garden

Koraku-en is one of the most famous Japanese gardens, located in Okayama, Japan. A garden like this is called a daimyo (feudal lord) garden. In my understanding, the name “daimyo garden” does not refer to a style but a general term for the gardens that feudal lords in the Edo

Read More »
Harmony between a garden and a house

庭屋一如 (tei-oku-ichi-nyo) – This is the word expressing a harmonious condition of a garden and a house. I think that many Japanese garden designers consider it a fundamental principle. Traditionally, houses in Japan were designed to achieve comfort in hot summer. This kind of house is a post and beam

Read More »
Imperfection in Japanese gardens

“The flow of the river never ceases, and the water never stays the same…” This is the opening phrase of Hojoki, a famous Japanese essay by Kamono Chomei in the 13 century. Almost all Japanese children learn this in their schools. I think that transience is something that many Japanese

Read More »
Shishi-Odoshi in Japanese garden
Shishi-Odoshi as a garden element

Shishi-Odoshi, or scare-deer is a device to frighten deer away. It is a unique garden element that you can see in residential gardens in Japan now. As you see in the photo below, a bamboo tube is set like a seesaw. when the open cut side has water in, the

Read More »

Follow us

Contact us

Penguin Environmental Design
56 Lynmoor Place, Hamden, CT 06517
info@pedarch.com

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