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Dry Gardens of Kyoto

Kyoto · Kyoto · Architecture

Japanese name: 京都の枯山水と作庭

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Dry Gardens of Kyoto
Photo: DXR / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗
WHAT TO DODry Gardens of Kyoto

The garden that shows water without using any was perfected in Kyoto's Zen temples - mountain, river and sea in stone alone.

WHEREKyoto

Kyoto City · Kyoto

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Overview

The garden that shows water without using any was perfected in Kyoto's Zen temples - mountain, river and sea in stone alone.

About this place

The Japanese dry garden (枯山水, karesansui) or Japanese rock garden, often called a Zen garden, is a distinctive style of Japanese garden. It creates a miniature stylized landscape through carefully composed arrangements of rocks, water features, moss, pruned trees and bushes, and uses gravel or sand that is raked to represent ripples in water. Zen gardens are commonly found at temples or monasteries. A Zen garden is usually relatively small, surrounded by a wall or buildings, and is usually meant to be seen while seated from a single viewpoint outside the garden, such as the porch of the hojo, the residence of the chief monk of the temple or monastery. Many, with gravel rather than grass, are only stepped into for maintenance. Classical Zen gardens were created at temples of Zen Buddhism in Kyoto during the Muromachi period. They were intended to imitate the essence of nature, not its actual appearance, and to serve as an aid for meditation.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Source ja.wikipedia.org ↗

Key facts

Founded / opened:Muromachi period Highlights / collection:Water expressed only with white sand and stones, Hojo garden of a Zen temple Genre:Architecture, Outdoor art and land art

Source ja.wikipedia.org ↗

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