Abstract
This is a basic research reflecting upon the structure of the fragrance experienced in the traditional Japanese gardens. The author calls the landscape experienced through fragrance "the Scent-scape". The structure of the Scent-scape was investigated through the studies of all the sceneries described in "the Tale of Genji". Although the incense from inside the house has often been the subject for the former studies, the Scent-scape is the unique aspect of this study. It deals not only with the subjective (sensory) aspects of the fragrance, but also with the objective (physical) aspects and the integration of the two. From this research, it was clarified firstly that the nobles in the Heian era already appreciated the fragrance of the currently popular garden plants such as Ume (Prunus mume), Tachibana (Citrus tachibana), Fuji (Wisteria floribuda), and five other species. Secondly, they appreciated the scent of garden plants together with their physical aspects such as colors, shapes. These plants are placed in close distances from the buildings. Lastly, wind played an important role to integrate the two aspects by often maximizing the experience through embracing the scent of plants that is often strongly associated with their special memories of the past.
