What is tea gardens?
As
names are saying, chaniwa is a garden for tea ceremony. In Japan, it is
called Chaniwa.
The concept of this garden in simple.
In front yard, which is called Roji, usually is composed by nature
oriented prant. Gardens are simple and atmosphere is like nature
forest. On the way to a tea room is the place to purify people's
feelings.
The most common pavings are step stone, however, it depends on the tea
denomination and sometimes paved with large stones.
The main garden is the place to see at tea ceremony. Since the garden should not bother the conversation, the garden is always quiet. That means flowers and trees should not be gorgeous.
Stone lantern and Basin
Stone lanterns and basins are placed with necessaries in tea gardens.
A basin is place to rinse hands and mouths to purefy the dust in real world.
Lanterns are placed near basins to light it and light pavement.
Which is important, function or landscape?
Regardenig
the landscape, one famous tea ceremonnist whose name is Sen-no-Rikyuu
as well as garden designer described 'think 60% is funtion amd rest of
40% is design'.
He considerd nature very well.
His apprentice was thinking design was more important. He prefer to place many stone lanterns along the footpath to the tea house.
