Studies on the Regionality of the Stones for Landscaping in Kyoto

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the regionality of the stones for landscaping in Kyoto.
The regionality of the stones was discussed by historically analyzing the itemization of garden stones.(Table 1) The items of stones were investigated through the literatures written since 17 c. The construction of the items of stones constitute characteristic features as follows:
(1) Many items for the native stones of Kyoto.
(2) Coexistence of the items for the native stones and the stones from other regions.
(3) Items have been reported for centuries.
(4) Itemization due to multiform of stones.The origin of the regionality was analyzed by natural factors and human factors. Topography and geology as natural factors, and the character of garden stone dealers were adopted as human factors.
The places of gathering native stones were plotted on the topographical map and the geological map of Kyoto (Fig. 1-3). The mountainland around the Kyoto basin is in the mature stage, and many rivers steram into the Kyoto basin. The greater part of the geology of the mountainland around the Kyoto basin are the Paleozoic strata, and a part is the granite of the Cretaceous period. Multiform native stones have been gathered from many rivers, mountatins and hills.
In Kyoto city the garden stone dealers were located by water transport in 17 c. They sold the stones from other regions too. The masons of Shirakawa and the garden stone dealers of Kurama were located by the resources of granite from old. They have been the chief industries of those settlements for centuries.