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Japan's Master Gardens: Lessons in Space and Environment
Featuring stunning photographs and thoughtful commentary this Japanese gardening book is a must-have for any gardening enthusiast.
No two Japanese gardens are ever the same. Each is inimitable, yet embodies commonalities of design and aesthetic taste. Each finds the space for innovation within a tradition that benefits from a thousand years of applied knowledge in gardening and landscape architecture. Japan's Master Gardens explores the ingenuity and range of Japanese landscaping, from the self-imposed confines of courtyard designs to the open expanses of the stroll garden.
In this beautifully illustrated book, Stephen Mansfield takes readers on an exploration of the outward forms, underlying principles, complex use of metaphor and allusion, and beauty and depth that set the Japanese garden apart.
Topics include:
A Sense of Nature
The Modular Garden
Landscape Gardens
Requisitioning Space
Healing Gardens
No two Japanese gardens are ever the same. Each is inimitable, yet embodies commonalities of design and aesthetic taste. Each finds the space for innovation within a tradition that benefits from a thousand years of applied knowledge in gardening and landscape architecture. Japan's Master Gardens explores the ingenuity and range of Japanese landscaping, from the self-imposed confines of courtyard designs to the open expanses of the stroll garden.
In this beautifully illustrated book, Stephen Mansfield takes readers on an exploration of the outward forms, underlying principles, complex use of metaphor and allusion, and beauty and depth that set the Japanese garden apart.
Topics include:
A Sense of Nature
The Modular Garden
Landscape Gardens
Requisitioning Space
Healing Gardens
144 pages, Hardcover
First published April 10, 2012
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33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 24, 2012
The author explains many different kinds of Japanese gardens (modular, stroll, etc.). He also reviews some of the classical philosophies associated with the various garden types. The book was very informative. I walked away from it realizing how very different Japanese gardens are to the kinds I grew up near.
My one complaint with this book is that there are too many gardens. For almost all of the gardens, there are only a couple of pages of text and pictures. I feel like I would have gotten more out of this book had he chosen fewer gardens and documented them in greater detail. Because there were so many introduced with such little description, some of them seemed to blend into each other. I would have preferred choosing one or two characteristic gardens of each kind and really thoroughly documenting them so that their differences really stood out.
My one complaint with this book is that there are too many gardens. For almost all of the gardens, there are only a couple of pages of text and pictures. I feel like I would have gotten more out of this book had he chosen fewer gardens and documented them in greater detail. Because there were so many introduced with such little description, some of them seemed to blend into each other. I would have preferred choosing one or two characteristic gardens of each kind and really thoroughly documenting them so that their differences really stood out.
May 19, 2022
This was alright. It was nice to be introduced to all the great gardens of Japan but there wasn’t enough stopping and pictures for them. I would read about one and then go watch a tour online to supplement my learning. I used this more as a quick list to read briefly about how they came to be and their main features and then I went and supplemented my learning elsewhere.
August 13, 2025
Another coffee table japanese garden book
I wish it went a bit more in depth for each garden. I liked the explanation before each section of the book but I felt like the section on each garden could have had a bit more explanation. The photos were beautiful and I’m so happy they included an Okinawan garden!
I wish it went a bit more in depth for each garden. I liked the explanation before each section of the book but I felt like the section on each garden could have had a bit more explanation. The photos were beautiful and I’m so happy they included an Okinawan garden!
June 19, 2017
Fewer of the "dry" gardens that I love, but still beautiful.
October 4, 2020
There are some lovely gardens in here. I have only visited Shinjuku Gyoen and it is beautiful!
July 21, 2021
Beautiful book, that gives a real insight into the nature of Japanese gardens and the pictures are stunning!
April 20, 2024
Semi-inspired remarks coupled with bleak, stale photographs. A huge disappointment and a missed opportunity.
June 28, 2013
There was a nice selection of Japanese gardens featured in this book but I'm surprised Mansfield chose the gardens he chose. For each garden, Mansfield gives who commissioned it, where it is located, what type of garden it is (landscape? stroll? rock?) and when it was built. One garden featured dated all the way back to the 10th century! wow ._O !
The gardens are also clumped together by type and the author gives a little 2-3 page description of the type of garden before the reader views the selection. 3 Stars because I felt Mansfield would make points he would not explain in these descriptions (ie. this type of garden is very self contradictory...ok, why?).
Most of the gardens featured are in Tokyo or Kyoto, which only makes sense considering one is the present day capital and the other was a more ancient center of political activity. I was giddy to see gardens I visited in Nara and even the stroll garden a 10 minute bike ride away from my home of Okayama (Koraku-en) were featured.
The gardens are also clumped together by type and the author gives a little 2-3 page description of the type of garden before the reader views the selection. 3 Stars because I felt Mansfield would make points he would not explain in these descriptions (ie. this type of garden is very self contradictory...ok, why?).
Most of the gardens featured are in Tokyo or Kyoto, which only makes sense considering one is the present day capital and the other was a more ancient center of political activity. I was giddy to see gardens I visited in Nara and even the stroll garden a 10 minute bike ride away from my home of Okayama (Koraku-en) were featured.
September 19, 2012
Nice pics.
April 28, 2017
Hey - get a few stone lanterns, put a couple of wooden bridges over water and plunk down a few rocks and then you have yourself a Japanese garden.
Wrong — even though this pattern is repeated again and again in the west.
Japan's Master Gardens: Lessons in Space and Environment is a fantastic look at the wide variety of REAL Japanese gardens in Japan. The stories and many many photos offer more than glimpses of different styles and gardens around the island nation. Taken together they offer an explanation of what makes a Japanese garden -- the ideas and philosophies as well as their histories and evolution.
The images are beautiful and help build understanding. Like me, you’ll find this book will grow your list of must see spots in Japan.
Wrong — even though this pattern is repeated again and again in the west.
Japan's Master Gardens: Lessons in Space and Environment is a fantastic look at the wide variety of REAL Japanese gardens in Japan. The stories and many many photos offer more than glimpses of different styles and gardens around the island nation. Taken together they offer an explanation of what makes a Japanese garden -- the ideas and philosophies as well as their histories and evolution.
The images are beautiful and help build understanding. Like me, you’ll find this book will grow your list of must see spots in Japan.
September 21, 2013
bend oregon larry parker
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews