Japanese water gardens
Fluid tranquility
Traditional Japanese gardens come in many varieties. One of the most important and intriguing aspects of Japanese gardens is the use of water. Ponds, streams, and waterfalls all have a place in many traditional gardens. Even in karesansui, or "dry gardens," sand and pebbles are raked to represent water moving around islands.
Japanese gardens are places for quiet contemplation. Even if they are mere yards away from the rest of society, they are meant to be apart from the bustle of the hectic world. Water is important in that it has a calming effect on the viewer and adds to the feeling of seclusion.
Keeping it real
In a Japanese garden, all water sources should appear to be an organic part of the surroundings. Man-made streams are designed with curves and irregularities to recreate the cut banks and point bars of naturally flowing bodies. You will never find a square pond in a traditional Japanese water garden, just as you will never find one occuring naturally. Because of this need for a natural appearance, there are no fountains in traditional gardens, but small waterfalls are fairly common.
Lanterns are often placed beside prominent bodies of water—be it a pond or a stream—in a garden. This juxtaposition of water and fire creates the yin and yang (actually the in and yo, in Japanese), an important idea in Japanese culture involving the balancing of opposites to create harmony.
Many gardens will employ a dry pond or stream. Dry Ponds and streams have as much impact as do the ones filled with water. After all, the water, whether real or symbolized with sand, rocks, and pebbles, is itself simply a representation of larger aspects of the nature around us and the souls within us.
Something fishy
In many Japanese ponds, decorative fish, called Koi, are kept. Koi are a domesticated variety of the carp, which originated in China but has become an important part of Japanese life. While Koi are related to the common variety of goldfish, they are not simply "big goldfish," as many people think upon seeing them. The word "Koi" refers to all varieties of the fish: the bright orange, the dull gray-brown, and the spotted. The Japanese word "Nishikigoi" refers more specifically to the decorative orange type. Koi and images of Koi are traditionally considered to be symbols of luck and good fortune.
The dynamic world
Water symbolizes purity and the fluidity of life. Along with plants and trees which change in appearance with the seasons, water is used in gardens to remind us of the relentless passage of time.
A bridge crossing the water denotes a journey. Bridges are symbolic of moving from one world into another, a theme found throughout Japanese art. A common sight in traditional Japanese water gardens is a zig-zag designed bridge. This design ensures that the walker will take time to cross and that she will have an opportunity to contemplate herself and her surroundings.
Cleanliness
The meaning of water in Japanese culture cannot be overstated. Ancient Japanese beliefs held that the gods resided within nature: in the trees, earth, water, etc. Bathing in a natural body of water was as close as one could get to the gods.
Water brings with it health, wealth, and wisdom. It also works to cleanse people of evil, bad luck, and the dirt of day-to-day living, spiritually speaking. There are many water rituals conducted even in contemporary Japanese culture. Inside every Shinto shrine is a basin of water that worshippers use to cleanse their mouths and hands before prayer begins.
A Japanese style water garden can work in almost any environment, no matter whether you have a few acres, or just a few square feet. The key is balance and not letting one aspect of the garden overwhelm the others.