In their rocks and plants, empty spaces and intimate details–Kyoto’s gardens
manifest a unique ability to provoke thought and delight in equal measure.
These carried landscapes meld the sensuality of nature with the disciplines of
cosmology, poetry and meditation. Japanese aristocrats created these gardens
to display not just wealth and power, but cultural sensitivity and an appreciation
for transcendent beauty. A class of professional gardeners eventually emerged,
transforming Japanese landscape design into formalized art. Today, Kyoto’s
gardens display an enormous range of forms—from rock gardens of extreme
minimalism and subtle hues, to stroll gardens of luscious proportions and
vibrant colors.