Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
- Includes everything from ancient and timeless aspects of the culture and landscape to contemporary aspects, such as Otaku culture
- Ideal for visitors to Japan and anyone with an interest in Japanese culture and history
- An immersive take on Japanese Gardens combining history, art, cultural commentary and travel information all in one handy volume that is highly portable and also highly visual
- Japan has nearly 30 million visitors a year, and is on track to become the most popular destination in the world over the next few years
Synopsis
100 Japanese Gardens is an ambitious attempt to profile the finest gardens in Japan, while also highlighting lesser known, but equally accomplished landscapes in less-visited parts of the country.
A celebration of Japanese landscape design, this book features gardens from Kyoto and Tokyo, as well as from the sub-arctic island of Hokkaido and the semi-tropical islands of Okinawa. Author Stephen Mansfield traveled the length and breadth of Japan on a quest to identify the most impressive gardens in this vast and culturally varied archipelago. His erudition and love of the Japanese garden shines through on every page, making this the perfect primer for travel to Japan or an enjoyable armchair read for gardening enthusiasts.
Mansfield's insightful descriptions of each garden examine design concepts and principles, space management, compositional elements, and the iconographic and metaphysical role of Shinto and Buddhist influences.
Through his exquisite visuals and engaging stories, we experience Japanese garden designs not merely as landscapes, but as large-scale art installations.