Japanese gardens are famous all over the world for their serenity and beauty. One of the main concepts in these gardens is to instill a feeling of beauty in the person viewing the garden. Another is to recreate nature in miniature. Historically, Japan adopted their formal gardening style from China and then embellished it with their own sensibilities.
There are a few elements to consider when viewing a Japanese garden. First, there are empty spaces in the garden. This is important in maintaining balance. The empty space defines the other elements surrounding it, just as the surrounding elements define the empty space. It is similar to yin and yang (or in and yo, in Japanese). The Japanese garden can be appreciated in all four seasons, unlike many Western gardens that is abandoned in the fall until spring rolls around. Japanese gardens also often use borrowed scenery or shakkei. This is when distant mountains, for instance, are taken into the overall view of the garden as part of the entire effect. » Read more: Japanese Gardens – The Beauty and the Serenity
