Journal of the Japanese Institute of Landscape Architects

The design of stones in the Karesansui garden at Koin-zan, Saiho-ji, Kyoto, has been attributed to the hand of the master priest, Muso-kokushi.
However, when it is compared with another garden at Tenryu-ii, which is also attributed to the work of Muso-kokushi, there are observed marked differences in workmanship and others. Moreover, literature such as ‘Saiho-ji Engi’ or the historical origin of Saiho-ji temple has no reference to this at all. Another piece of gardening literature composed in the Yedo era, Chiku-zan teizoden (Essay on garden and hill designing), ascribes this to the authorship of Ryuden-jizo. Thes evidences lend support to a supposition that this part of the said garden may have been constructed by some other hand than Muso-kokushi. The writer is inclined to believe that the stone design at Saiho-ji temple was not constructed by Muso-kokushi, but by some one else, possibly a gardener in the Yedo era.

View full abstract

Show abstractHide abstract

Forms and Shape of young trees have their respective individuality according to kinds of trees and some of them are variously transformed in accordance with the difference in their culture circumstances and different methods of bringing them up. What formal terms and conditions are necessary for young trees so that they can be regarded as excelient garden ones? If there are any standards for such terms and conditions, they will be desirable and convenient for us to develop the technique of cultivation of young trees and to decide prices of them as well, the writer thinks. Consequently in August, 1958
I investigated the fololwing twenty items about twenty-six kinds f three-year-old trees fitted for gardens and attemped to express quantively the forms and shapes of them. Length of part above ground, Length of undergrouod part, Weight of part above ground, Weight of underground part, Total weight, Diameter of part near root, Diameter of spread of roots, Number of split roots, Number of branches, Total of length of branches, Width of spread of branches, Ratio of spread of branches to length of pat adove ground, Ratio of spread of roots to length of underground part, Ratio of spread of roots to that of branches, T-R rate, Ratio of length of part above ground to diameter of part near root, Ratio of total weight to T-R rate, Ratio of total weight to length of part above ground, Ratio of weight of roots to length of part above ground, Ratio of weight of roots to total weight. The results of main items are summed up as follows.

View full abstract

Download PDF (934K)

Register with J-STAGE for free!