Abstract
“Sagaryu niwakoho hiden-no-sho”is a secret book written in the Muromachi period describing about the techniques of constructing traditional Japanese gardens and one of the most popular reference books of landscaping. The rich use of drawings and clear writings characterize the book. Many manuscripts and alternate versions were published in the Edo period, while the verifications about the contents of these books have not been done yet. We chose ten alternative versions and compared their descriptions with the original and found the following issues.
1. We had produced the comparison charts. The contents vary depending on the alternative versions. However, any description about the ways to appreciate the gardens and the ways to construct the gardens is not omitted in any version.
2. We categorized the alternative versions into three types according to the style of transmissions. The example found in the Takidan-ji temple seems to be the most similar to the original.
