Abstract
In this paper taboo of garden planting in Japan is described. In the old days taboo was made by the people's wish to escape from misfortunes in the future. We don't hear so much about taboo in this industrialized society today. But taboo sometimes appears and disturbs gardeners when planning a garden. Taboo is an act prohibited by faith and superstition. To analyze the reasons of the acts, I refer to “Nihon Zokushin Jiten (Japanese Superstition Dictionary)” written by Tozo Suzuki in 1982. Taboo about more than one hundred garden plants is compiled in this dictionary. It is said that “If you commit taboo, you will be ill, dead or ruined.” Taboo is classified as follows: (1) Rhyming game of the plant's name (2) Associating something with the shape of the plant (3) Relationship with faith of Buddhism or Shintoism (4) Relationship with the directional aspect of a house (5) Prohibition from taking plants from mountains or fields (6) Avoiding thunder (7) Origin from misfortunes (8) Refusal to practical uses.
