Basics of Japanese Tea Garden

Basics of Japanese Tea Garden
By Yuggehn Nathan

This article provides an overview of the Japanese Tea Garden
and the culture it promotes among the Japanese Garden lovers. It
also shares information of the basic concepts to keep in mind
when designing a Japanese Tea Garden.

The history of Japanese gardens dates back to the eleventh
century in which distinct and strict rules were established for
garden design. Documented writings describe forms of waterfalls,
materials to be used, relationships of materials, and placement
of the different elements. Also noted are historical references
of garden design and arrangement and actual categories or styles
that included Artificial Hill Gardens (Tsuki-yama), Level
Gardens (Hira-niwa), and Tea Gardens (Chaseki). Much of the
cultural influence came from the Chinese. Their traditions and
Buddhism religion was imported around the sixth century A.D.
which had an enormous influence on the Japanese way of life and
also included gardening as well. The influence could be seen for
more than a thousand years. The native religion of Japan,
Shintoism, emphasized that all of nature, plants, trees, and
rocks were sacred, and many gardens were considered a sacred
place of worship that the Gods would visit. These areas would
actually receive offerings and symbolized not only a place to
worship nature and all of its creatures, but to worship their
creator as well. The Japanese garden has evolved over the
centuries in that it is much more than just an accumulation of
rocks, trees, and other physical elements. It is a symbolism of
belief in a spirit of unique gardens representing people and
their cultures.

The Tea Garden also was introduced to Japan from the Chinese
culture around the sixth century A.D. Because the Buddhism
religion incorporated the use of tea in their ceremonies, did it
not become popular until the thirteenth century. It is still
unclear, but the generally accepted theory is that the tea
ceremony celebrated the Zen beliefs of purity, inner peace, and
simplicity through meditation.

A Japanese tea garden consists of two gardens, one that
includes a waiting area where the guests will be called into the
more formal, intimate, yet rustic structured inner garden. The
outer design of the tea garden usually includes stepping stones
leading to a cleansing area. Here the guests will perform a
symbolic cleansing ritual, freeing themselves of all wrong
doings, evil thoughts, and misfortunes of life. The outer garden
will provide an atmosphere of preparation, which includes the
stepping stones, a lantern, and cleansing area in a very
simplistic setting all designed to prepare for the tea ceremony
inside.

The inner tea garden is designed very simplistic and in a
rustic, hut style structure. The atmosphere will be friendly and
intimate. Here is where the tea ceremony is held. All is
symbolic of the Buddhism belief of meditation and appreciation
of the simplistic life cycle. The Japanese tea garden represents
the virtues of Restraint, Politeness, Sensibility, and Modesty.

To summarize, a Japanese tea garden is much more that a garden
of Japanese elements. It is much more than an accumulation of
trees, rocks, water, and plants. It is a Garden of Respect for a
people’s culture and religious beliefs that extend not only
through centuries of the Japanese people, but through centuries
of the Chinese people from which so much influence was
introduced.

About the Author: Yuggehn Nathan Japanese Garden Revealed Inc.
Learn How to Transform Your Yard Into A Peaceful Zen Garden
Today! Visit: http://www.japanesegardenrevealed.com/

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