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Sakuteiki: Visions of the Japanese Garden: A Modern Translation of Japan's Gardening Classic

by Jiro Takei

A Heian-era guide to Japanese garden-making

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A Heian-era guide to Japanese garden-making

Written by a Japanese court noble during the Heian period, the Sakuteiki brings together practical guidance on garden-making and ideas about the meanings behind garden design. This edition pairs an English translation with an introduction to the cultural and historical context of Japanese gardening, supported by drawings, paintings, and color photographs. Its coverage of stones is a particular thread: a new foreword addresses their sacred importance in Japanese garden design. The book connects an early written source with the making and interpretation of Japanese gardens, including the stone garden.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • People interested in Japanese garden design and stone gardens
  • Gardeners seeking historical guidance and inspiration
  • Readers exploring Heian-era culture through a practical text

Themes

Japanese garden designStones and sacred meaningHeian-period cultureGarden-making techniques

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

The Sakuteiki, or "Records of Garden Making," was written nearly a thousand years ago. It is the oldest existing text on Japanese gardening--or any kind of gardening--in the world.

In this new edition, the authors provide an English-language translation of this classic work and an introduction to the cultural and historical context that led to the development of Japanese gardening accompanied by drawings, paintings and many new color photographs.

The new foreword by Japanese garden expert Hugo Torii, the Garden Curator at Portland Japanese Garden, explains the sacred importance of stones in Japanese garden design.

Written by a Japanese court noble during the Heian period (794-1184), the Sakuteiki includes technical advice on gardening--much of it still followed by today's Japanese gardeners--and examines the four central threads of meaning which were central to Heian-era garden design. For those seeking inspiration to build a rock garden or just better understand the Japanese stone garden, the Sakuteiki is an enduring classic.
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