Garden Research

Of nine photographs included in the photography book "Murin-an" housed in the General Yamagata Memorial Museum, six had never been found in previous research into materials related to Yamagata Aritomo. This research article used these historical photographs to compare Murin-an's original form to its present condition and consider the changes occurring in its spatial composition and mode of use. While there have been changes in Murin-an's plants over the course of time, the landscape has preserved the original intentions behind the garden's creation until the present day. Although there have been no changes to the garden that made photography locations difficult to identify, the garden path appears to have been adjusted, with occasional new additions and expansions being introduced, suggesting changes in how the garden was used. It is hoped this analysis will enable a deeper understanding of Murin-an's historical value and the changes it has undergone and provide a guideline for future garden management and preservation activities.

It has been suggested that Shoseien Garden may be a valuable habitat for creatures living in urban areas. In support of this, we conducted a butterfly survey from August 2020 to July 2023 to evaluate the Shoseien environment, focusing on butterflies from the perspective of living creatures and garden management. 535 butterflies of 26 species in 5 families were observed over the three-year period. In areas where native plants are utilized to create landscapes, we confirmed the presence of wild flower-feeding butterflies, such as the white-fronted goose and the yellow-breasted nuthatch. We confirmed the establishment of the Gomadara butterfly, the purple tinged tit, and the Siberian serpentine serpentine. It was suggested that the various environments that exist in Shoseien may play a role as scattered green spaces in Kyoto City.

Located in Kyoto City’s Ukyo Ward, Shōsei-en Garden is a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty that belongs to the precincts of Higashi Honganji Temple. Its management thus far has been based on the garden’s history, but because it is an urban green space, we have redesigned our management concept by focusing on the value it has as an ecological refugia. Specifically, we are striving to recreate the scenery of the natural habitats of elements such as black pines and Japanese maples. We look upon the ongoings of the garden’s plants and animals and the Buddhist concept of “life, aging, illness and death” as forms of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism’s teaching of “co-resonant life” making up part of the garden’s scenery. To give the future a garden that is even more alluring, we continue to balance “permanence and fashionability” as an effort toward passing down cultural properties to later generations.

In 2018, mizu-aoi (Monochoria korsakowii), designated a critically endangered species by the Red Databook of Kyoto Prefecture 2015, was discovered at Shosei-en Garden, which neighbors and belongs to Higashi Honganji (Shinshu Otani-ha). This was the first sighting of this flower blooming since 2005, a period of 13 years. The reason for its reappearance may be inferred to be sleeping buried seeds that were reawakened after dredging Ingetsu-chi Pond for conservation repairs. In addition to displaying exhibits at Shosei-en Garden's entrance, Ueyakato Landscape has conducted ex-situ conservation in cooperation with other organizations to maintain the plant's population and genetic diversity. In the future, we hope to grow mizu-aoi in its native habitat once again.

While opportunities to create pure Japanese gardens are decreasing, there are more chances to create spaces that utilize Japanese garden elements in places such as villas, hotels, and commercial facilities. Our company recently received a request to create a Japanese garden-based space in a commercial space integrated with Kyoto Station, which may be called the entryway into Kyoto. We were involved in the planning, design, and stone flooring construction for this project. Here we report on the “spirit and skills” used in this work.