Have you ever seen an authentic Japanese garden? Well, I had the chance of seeing the one in Monaco and was really impressed too. Wanna taste a little Japanese culture? Stepping on this ground is escaping from the real world into a fantasy land. You suddenly find yourself in a typical Japanese natural setting like the ones you see in marvelous paintings. The only thing that's missing is the fog. Instead, the Mediterranean sun reveals all minute details in a warm light.
With Japanese gardens, what you see is not all; the surface of things is the mere reflection of the psyche of an ancient culture. One really needs to be literally "cultured" in this direction to best appreciate the value of this art. (which I myself was not at the time of my visit! And it was a pity as I did not know what to look for and what to analyze better!) One can speak of a philosophy of gardening coming from the ancient Japan. Japanese gardening is an art fetched beyond the arrangements of vegetation, water and stone but is full of symbols:
* Koko - the veneration of timeless age;
* Shizen - the avoidance of the artificial;
* Yugen, or darkness - imply the mysterious or subtle;
* Miegakure - the avoidance of full expression
The perception of nature is different in the Japanese culture from that of the European one. Instead of viewing nature only as something to be subjugated and transformed according to man-made ideal of beauty, Japanese developed a close connection to nature, considering it sacred, an ally in putting food on the table and an ideal of beauty in itself. That is why the Japanese gardens are the synthesis of nature in miniature instead of correction of nature as with European gardens.
Actually, the design of Japanese gardens come from the Chinese model. The history goes back in time, around year 100BC when the emperor of China, Wu Di of the Han Dynasty established a garden that contained three small islands, mimicking the Isles of the Immortals, who were the main Taoist deities. An envoy of Japan saw it and took the idea to Japan, improving the existing Japanese practices.
The Japanese Garden of Monaco was designed at the request of Prince Rainier who thus fulfilled a desire Princess Grace had expressed during her life-time. The garden was designed by the landscape-architect Yasuo Beppu, has 7,000 square meters, its construction took 3 years and it was inaugurated in 1994.
Specific elements
* The wall (He?) with an intermediary bamboo fencing (Tak?gaki) that stands for fragility and simplicity.
* The main gate (Sh?-mon)
* The stone lanterns (T?r?) - each having special different characteristics;
* The lake (Ik?) with large swishing gold fish.
* The stone fountain (Fusen-Ishi)
* The covered terrace (Kyuke?jo)
* The islands (Shima) - represent two long-living animals - the tortoise and the crane, symbols of complementarity expressed
* The Tea house (Chatshitsu)- named the Garden of Grace (Ga-?n)
* The dry landscape (Kar?sansui) - quintessence of Cosmos
* The Belvedere (Azumaya) - a house on a hill allowing view in all four corners
* The waterfall (Taki) - symbolizes the strength of Man and Nature, contrasting to the horizontality of the lake.
* The arched red bridge (Ta?kobashi) - is red, the color of happiness and is narrow so as to make access to the divine island more difficult.
There are olive trees, cherry trees, conifers, azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias, a varied, rich vegetation of Mediterranean, South American, Australia, African and Asian origin, pruned according to the Japanese tradition.
Walking in the crowded Monaco, with all its stone, steel and glass, you can find in the Japanese Garden a peaceful, green oasis where even the great number of tourists pass unnoticed, wandering on the winding paths, through the thicket of the garden.
Laura Ciocan writes for http://www.ilovemontecarlo.com/ where you can find all you want to know about http://www.ilovemontecarlo.com/ Please feel free to use this article in your Newsletter or on your website. If you use this article, please include the resource box and send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:lauracio@gmail.com
no-contract cleaning service Mundelein ..One afternoon during a trip across the country in our... Read More
Mount Kenya is Africa's second highest mountain, after Kilimanjaro. It... Read More
When you look at a river, what do you see?... Read More
Inflatable fishing boats are great yacht tenders/camping boats that are... Read More
White Water on the Comal river in Central Texas is... Read More
Yuma, Arizona. In the winter, it's the best town in... Read More
Bird Watching is a great way to escape the rat... Read More
Are walking sticks longer than trekking poles? What about hiking... Read More
Mystic Seaport celebrates the seafaring past of New England. Known... Read More
One morning in mid summer, I headed out for some... Read More
When you think of "adventure travel," what crosses your mind?... Read More
Campgrounds are a perfect Pigeon Forge lodging option for visitors... Read More
Having traveled from state to state and every city in... Read More
Before you take off on that great outdoor adventure, be... Read More
The call of the wild can be seductive. The exquisite... Read More
I stood at the observation point on the balcony at... Read More
If you're looking to spot a whale, the first few... Read More
(NC)-With approximately 42,000 mosquitoes for every person in Ontario, most... Read More
You would think that a cheap safari in Africa for... Read More
A South Africa safari is the ideal wildlife trip to... Read More
Backpacking is a great way to escape the rat race... Read More
Paul Scott Mower once said, "There is nothing like walking... Read More
There were four of us on that first Tom Sawyer... Read More
Western Australia Driving Adventure Great Australian Road Trip Large... Read More
Sun, Sand and Surf ? an apt description for Goa?... Read More
maid service near Glenview ..Up to now the preponderant view held by many historians... Read More
White-water rafting can be one of the most exhilarating experiences... Read More
Have you ever seen an authentic Japanese garden? Well, I... Read More
Have you ever gone solo backpacking? If you have, you'll... Read More
TENT CAREYou should seal all floor seams and those seams... Read More
Today Bookpleasures and Sketchandtravel are pleased to have as our... Read More
A saddle is a static object, but your horse is... Read More
If your aim is not good, or is not quite... Read More
White Water on the Comal river in Central Texas is... Read More
Some people have fought many years of their lives to... Read More
My favorite outdoor related quote comes from John Muir, the... Read More
No one can truly say... Read More
Yes, it's real. There is a place called Timbuktu and... Read More
Everyone has a travel dream. For many it is hitting... Read More
A rigid inflatable boat is defined as a hard-hulled boat... Read More
Camping for fun is a great way to enjoy the... Read More
I've had backpacking trips that included rain, snow, lightning, rockslides,... Read More
Normally when you think Safari you think Big 5. The... Read More
Six different islands in Hawaii are open to tourism. Most... Read More
A river cruise in Bangkok gives an insight to the... Read More
We recently planted our saskatoon berry trees. I am sure... Read More
Western Australia ? South-West Coast driving holiday. Great Australian Road... Read More
I bet you're wondering where the heck this articles going.... Read More
For the dedicated water sport enthusiast there can be no... Read More
The quaint little balcony was large enough to accommodate two... Read More
Outdoors |