From Sukiya Living: While the patrons and overseers of Japanese gardens in the West almost always express a desire to be “authentically Japanese,” Prof. Kendall Brown argues that Western versions are not really Japanese gardens at all. He argues, instead, that they are a whole new hybrid genre that represents Western attempts to adapt the Japanese tradition to a new place and with entirely new purpose. He calls this genre Japanese-style gardens. We asked some experts about this…

The beauty of water in the wild is unparalleled. Creators of Japanese gardens attempt to capture the brilliance of water and consider how it will ultimately resonate with the viewer. The Japanese refer to their gardens as Tei-en, which translates as both “wild nature” and “controlled nature,” two opposing characteristics. It is in the exquisite balance of these two fundamental qualities that the Japanese garden finds a universal voice. The early gardens of Japan were not created for aesthetic reasons; instead, they were sacred places meant for prayers and rituals. However, they did contain powerful aesthetic components that would be discovered and brought to the forefront in the future creation of gardens.