The Japanese Tea Garden

by Marc Peter Keane

Almost every Japanese garden is influenced by the tea garden. This richly illustrated book describes the history, design, and aesthetics of tea gardens, from T’ang China to the present day, with over one hundred stunning photographs, plans, and illustrations. The most extensive book on this genre ever published in English, The Japanese Tea Garden is a rich resource for garden lovers, landscape designers, and architects—and anyone who admires the striking beauty of the Japanese garden.
ISBN: 978-1-933330-67-9, 264 pp, hardcover, 8 x 10", 120 color photos and illustrations

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please send me an email: books@mpkeane.com

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The tea garden, in its most incipient form, began to make its appearance in historical texts during the 16th century. But what came before then? What precedents were there in Japan, and in China (where tea culture originated), that may have informed the development of the tea ceremony and its special garden? The tea garden didn't simply emerge out of thin air—its appearance was the end result of a long evolution of traditions regarding tea and gardens. This chapter takes a look at those questions, looking as far back as the culture of Tang dynasty China.

Chapter 2 takes a look at four other aspects of Japanese culture that also informed the development of tea gardens: pre-existing traditions of gardening; the architecture of urban merchants within which tea culture and tea gardens initially developed; the medieval culture of the literate and artistic recluse or hermit; aesthetics such as wabi and sabi that formed the basis for tea culture.

Chapter 3. MUROMACHI SOCIETY

Tea gardens developed during the late Muromachi period (1333-1568) because of the particular relationships between four aspects or classes of Muromachi society: the bushi or military aristocracy; the zensô or Zen Buddhist priests; the shônin or merchant class; and the shokunin/geinin who were the artisans and artists of the period. This chapter looks at how each of those groups influenced the development of the tea garden.

Chapter 4. EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE ROJI

The culture of rustic tea gatherings in general, and that of the tea garden in particular, developed during the late 1500s. Its progression can be seen as being epitomized by three individuals: Murata Shukô and the tea of urban merchants in the late 15th century, Takeno Jôô and how the aesthetic of wabi influenced tea in the early 16th century, and finally Sen no Rikyû, whose time corresponds to the full realization of the tea garden during the late 16th century.

Chapter 5. FROM ROJI TO CHANIWA: TEA GARDENS IN THE EDO PERIOD

During the course of the Edo period (1600-1858) the tea garden was developed from its incipient forms into the kind of garden we see today. This can be seen through the times of Furuta Oribe in the early 17th century, Kobori Enshû in the mid 17th century, and various other tea masters during the ensuing Edo period. This chapter looks at how the overall design, plants, customs of use, and philosophic interpretations, become codified through this time.

Chapter 6. EXTANT TEA GARDENS AND GARDENS INFLUENCED BY TEA

Some tea gardens remain today in the form that existed in the early Edo period, such as the gardens at the private residences of tea grandmasters. Many other gardens were influenced by the design and aesthetics of tea gardens and can be seen as outgrowths of that culture. These include the eastate gardens of provincial lords, Imperial gardens, the gardens of merchant residences, private country estates of the 20th century, and traditional inns.

Chapter 7. PARTS OF A TEA GARDEN

A tea garden can be designed in as many different ways as there are tea masters — each garden is reflective of the person who cares for it and uses it for tea gatherings. However, the following elements are almost always included in a tea garden; an outer gate, narrow path, waiting bench, water basin, stone lanterns, dust pit, privy, fences and walls, and various, forest-like plantings. Each of these is described in detail in this final chapter.

Chapter 8. APPENDICES

The appendices include a wealth of material for researchers interested in tea gardens including footnotes that include the original Japanese from historical texts for readers of Japanese; descriptions of historical texts that include information related to tea gardens; a glossary; and bibliography.