The Japanese Garden

by Sophie Walker

An in-depth exploration spanning 800 years of the art, essence, and enduring impact of the Japanese garden.

The most comprehensive exploration of the art of the Japanese garden published to date, this book covers more than eight centuries of the history of this important genre. Author and garden designer Sophie Walker brings fresh insight to this subject, exploring the Japanese garden in detail through a series of essays and with 100 featured gardens, ranging from ancient Shinto shrines to imperial gardens and contemporary Zen designs. Leading artists, architects, and other cultural practitioners offer personal perspectives in newly commissioned essays.

Genres: Japan, Art, Coffee Table Books, Architecture, Gardening, Nonfiction, Plants

304 pages, Hardcover

Published November 8, 2017

Reviews

[Matt Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible collection with stunning photographs. The pages are extremely dense so it can take a long time to process a two-page spread and read the text. This makes it wonderful to come back to over and over again, but the experience of holding a large book for a long period of time is less than ideal. This is a nice coffee table book that you can spend 5 or 10 minutes on each day for many months. It reduces complex concepts down to their core and it's a real pleasure for the eyes and mind.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The surprising treatment of the Japanese garden as a cultural artifact through the lens of art history provides fresh insight. A number of design books get lost in the minutiae of types of rocks or periods of garden design or cryptically state that some aspects of the Japanese gardens are a mystery. Walker avoids both traps and provides the reader with an intellectual framework to understand the gardens. In one instance, the concept of mitate, in which one object is indicative of another, such as stone for water, is set down with clarity and cultural context. Some ninety gardens are reviewed and loosely grouped into themes interspersed with essays providing ways of seeing gardens and shorter essays from other interesting artists and thinkers of the modern day. The one photograph of each garden is carefully curated and gives a sense of place while also encouraging you to learn more elsewhere. There are even interesting travel notes such as the one spot in the Ryōan-ji where you can see all fifteen stones at once, which add to the book’s value.

[IE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Without knowing anything about it (I saw the cover and was immediately intrigued), I was expecting a coffee table book, but instead of being surface level the book contains a wealth of knowledge of the in-depth history of Japanese Gardens, in a textbook style. I haven’t yet read it all, as I plan to take my time with it. I wish some of the photos were larger as I could stare at them for ages, so very peaceful.

[Reinhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 10 chapters, Sophie Walker describes 10 different conceptual aspects of Japanese Gardens. This book doesn’t cover any practical gardening tip, it explores the ideas that the design of Japanese Gardens. Helps explain the philosophy and cultural forces that guided the development of Japanese Gardens. She clarifies different aspects, some more concrete and others very abstract (e.g. from courtyard garden to the concepts of time and mind in relation to the design of the gardens).

Includes a lot of photos of a wide variety of famous gardens in Japan. All have a paragraph with a description and history of the garden to accompany the photo. The book is printed on matte paper, which seems like the right choice for the subject matter. The cover itself is a green cloth with a large circle punched out. As you read, you will understand what the punched out circle represents.

Also includes 7 two page essays from a varieties of contributors: artists, architects, & philosophers.

Has a tiny photo encyclopedia of about 75 common plants used in Japanese gardens. Also has a glossary, index and even a brief overview of the different historic epoch in Japanese history as well as a map of japan.

It seems certain that this is the definitive English language work on Japanese Gardens. If it isn’t, it is a great introduction to the topic. A beautiful and informative book on a sublime subject

[Trish Remley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have been to a few Japanese Gardens in America over the years and have enjoyed them. Have done "a little" reading on their creation, meaning, and layout. But these gardens in the book..... wow. This volume by Sophie Walker answered many questions while creating so many more in a organized & systematic manner. Enjoyed the insight contained in the essays very much. As always really startled by the age & history of most of these gardens. Photographic examples really lent to the understanding of the text. Although I live in a dry prairie environment (remember the linking of raked gravel to water), I look to incorporate some of these concepts into my own gardens. To visit Japan and to be able to immerse myself in some of these spaces would be a dream come true.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well informed text, accompanied by beautiful pictures. Adds another dimension to the gardens.

[michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit shallow, but touches very important themes of Japanese garden making. More of an inspiration book, than a reference one, but great one nevertheless.

[Avi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes a bit more mystical poetryesque than I would like, but often good analysis of how aspects of gardens are used symbolically in Japan and a lot of gorgeous garden photography.

[Gerry Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Fascinating. Top top read.