Because few gardens built during the He ian period remain today, our knowledge of the details of the gardens of those days is very poor. It is well accepted that we can use old tales as materials for h istorical study, because these tales sometimes reflect not only the life style of the period, but also historical facts.
There are many descriptions of gardens in The Tale of Utsuho, one of the oldest novels in Japan, said to have been written at the end of 10th century. This study is an attempt to clarify the characteristics of garden design at that time, through an analysis of this tale. Only three main gardens are discussed in this essay, although about fifteen gardens were described in the tale.
1) The hero of the tale lived with his mother in the hollow of four big trees, “Utsuho”, during his childhood. Although it was located in the heart of the northern mountains, far from Kyoto, there was a large open area with some mounds, a spring and a rill, arranged like a house garden, in front of the hollowed trees (Fig. 1).
Therefore, it can be assumed the artificial hills, springs and ‘Yarimizu’ (a rill led into a garden) were already included in the extensive gardens of the noblemen of that period.
2) “Kyogoku-Residence” in Kyoto belonged to the hero's grandfather. Eventually the hero reconstructed this residence to enjoy the four seasons, quietly, and to teach his daughter to play the Koto.
The Shinden mansions and the garden-buildings such as the ‘Ro’ (End-pavilion), ‘Tsuri-dono’ (Shorepavilion), ‘Sori-hashi’ (arched bridge) and ‘Mido’ (Shrine) had both Japanese and Chinese characteristics (Fig. 3, Fig. 4).
The existence of both Chinese and Japanese styles in the garden implies that the middle of the Heian period (the 10th century) was probably a transitional stage in the development of the Shinden style garden.
It is worthy to note that the word ‘Izumi-dono’ (Spring-pavilion) is used in this tale, although Dr. Mori writes that this word was used for the first time in an old document in 1083.
3) “Fukiage-Palace” was constructed near the Fukiage shore, which is now considered to be situated in Wakayama city (Fig. 5).
The ‘Garden of Four Seasons’ was one of the important garden types which occurred in the Heian period. This is thought to have been developed under the influence of the Theory of Onyo-Gogyo or the natural surroundings of Kyoto. In the Garden of Four Seasons at the Fukiage-Palace, Spring Hill, Summer Shade, Autumn Grove and Pine Forest areas were located in the east, south, west and north sections of the garden, respectively.
Dr. Yoshinaga writes that the Jodo garden was created in the late Heian period by some priests in order to strengthen their aspirations to faith. However, the auther of this tale described the Garden of the Fukiage-Palace as the Paradise in the West. This implies that the noblemen in the late 10th century, supported by their religious longing, attempted to make their gardens after the Paradise in the West. Accordingly, the Gardens of the Fukiage-Palace can be considered as a prototype of Jodo style garden.

View full abstract

Square is a space which corresponds well to premodern society. Therefore the dissolution of premodern society, that means the formation of modern society, changes many of the socio-economic conditions of its existence and brings about the qualitative change of square itself.
In pre-modern society, where man lives in original unity with nature, individuals must support their own lives as natural individuals (Natürliche Individuen), that is, as integral members of a primitive community (ursprüngliche Gemeinschaft) or a pre-modern community (Gemeinde) which shows local totality based on natural environment and human relationship. Inevitable and indispensable is the moment which brings about a medium between individuals and the structure of a pre-modern community which involves all the aspects of their lives from production to consumption and which makes them an integral part of a primitive community or a premodern community. Square in pre-modern society exists and functions as an actual open space which ensures this moment physically.
On the other hand the formation of modern society, which is dominated by capitalism, requires and encourages the dissolution of a pre-modern community called ‘le microcosme localise’ or the complete unnaturalization of man. Man acts as labour power which is purely subjective without objective means of production. He is solitary and self-generalized. Here is neither community structure nor actual collectiveness of people which gives rise to a community. Individuals reproduce their own lives while they are isolated from their fellows. The whole society represents the real relationship based on the mutual isolation. Therefore there is no square which functions as a medium between individuals and the group which should be their community. The only thing modern man requires in his social and psycological solitude is the moment which enables him to exchange his feelings with his fellows to console the lonesomenss. From this point of view people agree with the establishment of a common and public open space, ensure its availability, want to enter it and get some satisfaction from it. Here lie the weak conditions of modern square.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study is to clalify the relation between the physical feature in the area around stream junction (A. S. J.) and the human impact to the physical environment of a basin. Secondly the biotic indicator and it's possibility for seizing the condition of the environment in a basin were analyzed. The scientific backgrounds for the conservation planning of a basin were obtained.
Especially, we put stresses on the following aspects.
The survey of bird-fauna in A. S. J. of River Tama and River Asakawa.
The relation between the envionmental conditions in a basin and environmental quality in A. S. J. was analyzed with the following indicators.
Environmental condition
the degree of relief, the degree of green covered space, land-use
Environmental quality
the quality of water, the quality of vegeation on a river-bank
In the same way in the basin of River Asakawa, was the relation analyzed with the following indicators.
Environmental condition
the occupancy rate of land-use type, altered-land against the total area
Environmental quality clearness of water, productivity of filiform bacilli (which is called MIZUWATA) number of species of ground beetles
We could reach at the following results during the analysis of the first reserch.
Each species of birds segrigates in habitation individually. This segrigation shows that the natural environment has complicated and various diversity in its quality.
The second analysis brought the follwing result.
The quantity of the plants that suit nitrogenious soil is concerned with the occupancy rate of urban land-use.
The third analysis brought the following result.
The clearness of water, the productivity of filiform bacilli and the number of species of ground-beetles are concerned with the occupancy rate of urban land-use and the rate of area of altered land.
Therefore, we should take the condition of the environment in A. S, J. into consideration with the impacts caused by rapid development in a basin for the conservation of the natural environment.

View full abstract