A Touch of Zen With Japanese Landscaping

We stumbled on this photo essay on Japanese gardens and, after basking in the beauty, asked ourselves what it is about the Japanese style that’s so appealing?

Part of it has to do with Japan’s national culture. Japan is an island and for much of its history kept to itself, so they became experts at making a lot of beauty happen in a very small space. Then, too, oriental philosophies emphasize harmony with nature, so they gently coax the Earth to produce it’s own order instead of imposing human order onto nature. And finally, in Japanese aesthetics the emphasis is on tranquility above all else.

Here’s another great link on an important tip on Japanese landscaping by using background scenery. Here is a fantastic write-up on the Japanese gardens of nobility. And a catalog of Zen gardens, just for the inspiration value.