Infinite Spaces: The Art and Wisdom of the Japanese Garden [Hardcover]

Joe Earle (Editor), Sadao Hibi (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000

Japanese gardens have long been revered for their impeccable design, detail and composition, properties which elevate them from being mere gardens to peaceful havens of serenity and sacredness. Now the ancient Japanese Sakuteiki ("Notes on Garden Design")-the quintessential volume on Japanese garden design-is available for English-speaking readers, alongside gorgeous color photographs of Japan's most famous gardens. Infinite Spaces also includes practical advice and philosophical insights on building and maintaining water features such as miniature ponds and waterways, placing stones for excluding evil spirits and inviting the protection of benevolent deities, and much more. Today's gardeners can gather knowledge, specific design techniques, and inspiration to create magnificent garden sanctuaries in their own backyards.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Pairs quotations from an ancient writing, the Sakuteiki, on garden design with exquisite photos that illuminate the words." -- Knight Ridder Newspapers

"The photos in this newest volume would intrigue even the most avid devotees of such gardens." -- Landscape Architecture Magazine

About the Author

Ryuku Saito has devoted his entire life to the study of Japanese art. A member of the Japan Art Society, Mr. Saito works closely with foreigners in Japan to acquaint them with the art of suiboku. He is an active director of the International Art Society.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; First Edition edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804832595
• ISBN-13: 978-0804832595
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,439,119 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great photos but very little Sakuteiki, February 11, 2001

By 

Eric Miller (Albuquerque, NM USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Infinite Spaces: The Art and Wisdom of the Japanese Garden (Hardcover)

This is a better than average coffee-table book about Japanese Gardens. The photos are for the most part excellent (a few are too dark). Many of the gardens shown are located outside of the Kyoto area and have seldom if ever been shown in other such (English language) books on this subject; this is a nice touch because it means that there is little overlap between this book and others. I had high hopes that the book would include a substantial (if not complete) translation of the Sakuteiki but despite the introduction which implies that this might be the case, it is not true. I would guess that less than 25% of the text of Sakuteiki is included, and the authors have rearranged the material into thematic sections to fit their own taste. This is a terrible pity becuase the 11th century gardening manual known by the name "Sakuteiki" is a very important point of reference in understanding the historical developement of Japanese gardens - sections from it are quoted by almost every book written on the subject, yet there is no generally available English translation of it. The 1976 translation by Shigemaru Shimoyama (publ. by Town & City Planners,Inc. Tokyo) was printed in a tiny edition of only 300 copies so the only way to read it is by borrowing a copy thru the academic inter-library loan program at your local public library. The way the authors of this book have rearranged the text into disjointed quotations (with widely varying typographic style & presentation) really does not do justice to the orginal material and is in considerable danger of reinforcing the old western stereotype of "pearls of wisdom from the inscrutable orient". I would suggest that you buy this book for the pictures alone and not pay too much attention to the text as currently presented. If the book is popular enough to merit a 2nd edition I hope the authors will reconsider the current format.

30 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible photography!, October 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Infinite Spaces: The Art and Wisdom of the Japanese Garden (Hardcover)

The photos are so luscious--I can't think of a more appropriate term--that it's as if you're in these gardens. I believe all of the photos are of the ancient gardens in Kyoto, and if not, they're definately all from Japan. This book is truly one that was inspired by the Sakuteki, not an illustrated edition of the Sakuteki. You'll want it for dreamy page turning, not as an instruction book for your own gardens.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Inspiring, June 6, 2009

By 

Ronin - See all my reviews

This review is from: Infinite Spaces: The Art and Wisdom of the Japanese Garden (Hardcover)

Infinite Spaces is lean on the commentary and abundant in beautiful full color photos displaying a wide variety of magnificent Japanese gardens. Some are from temples and others from private properties. This is not a repetitive book that displays the same Kyoto gardens like many that have been published.

While some are from Kyoto, Eric Miller's review suggests most of the gardens are located around Kyoto. This is not accurate at all. In fact, what's so incredible about this book is the authors traveled virtually the whole country and shot incredible gardens the whole length of Japan. Gardens are documented from the following regions: Nara, Shiga, Tottori, Ehime, Yamaguchi, Nagano, Nagoya, Tokushima, Yamagata, Tokyo, Ishikawa, Shizuoka, Fukuoka, Mie, Kumamoto, Wakayama, Iwate, Aomori, Yamanashi, Fukui, Niigata, Aichi, Kanagawa, and Gifu.

Awesome! Tons of great inspiration here. I highly recommend it.