The Modern Japanese Garden

The definitive survey of Japanese gardens and a beautiful investigation of the relationship between nature and modernity through the lens of 50 public gardens in Japan—an invaluable resource on the subject. The Modern Japanese Garden is a celebration of the immense diversity of garden s in Japan, from animist-infused, prototypical stone arrangements placed in sacred groves, to extraordinary post-war innovations. In a beautifully ed package, it is an object to treasure, one that examines post-war shifts in attitudes towards the contemporary garden as they moved from status symbols and expressions of influence to spaces of healing, mediation, and connection to nature. It is intended for both horticultural and general readers with an interest in landscape and Japan‘s contemporary lifestyle, featuring gardens from across Japan that offer insight into some of the most renowned Japanese ers across history. These gardens are not simply gardens, but points of convergence for several art forms and cultural practices, from the tea ceremony to Zen meditation. With stunning photographs and an artful, minimalist , The Modern Japanese Garden integrates garden portraits with brief essays from notable specialists in the fields of landscape , garden aesthetics, and architecture, including Shyunmo Masuno, Japan’s leading garden er, monk, and author of The Art of Simple Living. Includes a foreword by internationally bestselling author, Pico Iyer.