NOTICE:
Japanese Gardening Organization, Intl. is happy to announce our merger with the North American Japanese Garden Association. The two organizations have combined online resources now hosted at https://najga.org/.
If you have trouble finding a particular resource or section, please let us know by sending an email here.
Start With a Courtyard –
If you are looking for a way to start your Japanese garden space, a courtyard garden may be the answer. In ‘Chapter 8: The Courtyard Garden‘ Andrew Deane discusses this popular Japanese garden. This article is part of the online ‘Japanese Garden Handbook’ provided by Japanese Gardening Organization.
Japanese Gardening Reference
Learn how to tie a knot for bamboo fences, or decide what tools you need. JGO Reference section (now hosted at https://najga.org/reference/ ) includes articles on theory, design, and how-to’s on construction, plants, pruning, lanterns, stones, garden terminology and more.
Japanese Garden Search
Discover Japanese gardens on almost every continent in this comprehensive database. Search by keywords to narrow your hunt. Includes location, garden info, photos and more.
Japanese Garden Publications
Special Sections
Chaji - A Formal Tea Ceremony
A wonderful five part series on the “Way of Tea” by Elliot Mitchnick, Associate Professor of Urasenke, the 400 year old tradition of Tea headquartered in Kyoto, Japan is presented in Chaji, A Formal Tea Ceremony. (If you have Japanese enabled on your browser, you will see most tea terms with their kanji. In addition, most terms have definitions available by holding your mouse over the word.)
Ka-tei, Japanese Architecture, Japanese Garden
The essential relationship between architecture and garden is discussed in Ka-tei, Japanese Architecture, Japanese Garden. Japanese carpenter, Chris Hall, gives an overview of the relationships between house and garden in traditional Japanese residential architecture. (If you have Japanese enabled on your browser, you will see most terms with their kanji, and most terms have definitions available by holding your mouse over the word.)
Sister City Garden Virtual Tour
A profile of a sister city garden, Kumamoto En Japanese Garden, created in partnership with Japanese designers and craftsmen and US craftsmen. This is a detailed walking tour with the names and descriptions of the garden features linked to definitions, English, Romaji, and Kanji names as well.
Japanese Gardens - Notes on Perspectives, Perceptions & Synthesis
In his article, Japanese Gardens: Notes on Perspectives, Perceptions & Synthesis, Andrew R. Deane shares his thoughts on how to “see” a Japanese Garden.
Doubt ...
Japanese garden designer, Mark Bourne, reflects on his experience as apprentice to a Master gardener in Kyoto in “DOUBT, Learning to see the Japanese Garden.“
