CC BY
94The Report of Japanese Gardens in Australia- Case study of Cowra Japanese garden
Makita Naoko
Minami Kyusyu University, Miyazaki (Miyakonojo), Japan, n .makita@nankyudai.ac.jp
Keywords: Japanese gardens, Australia, Ken Nakajima, Cowra Japanese garden, Landscape
Changes in the number of Japanese gardens outside of Japan.
There are more than 500 public Japanese gardens outside of Japan, in more than 70 countries. By country, the number of Japanese gardens outside of Japan is 153 in the United States, 74 in China, 37 in Germany, 35 in Australia, and 32 in Brazil. About 40% all the Japanese gardens outside of Japan were built with the involvement of Japanese sister cities.
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Fig. 1 Changes in the number gardens outside of Japan
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Fig. 2 Reasons for buildind of Japanese garden outside of Japan
Background of Japanese garden in Australia
When the British emigrated to Australia, they brought in plants from their home country. And it also protected native plants. The botanical garden was a major entertainment area for the citizens in 1880s. At same time, Japan was exhibiting at the World Expo in Australia. An Australian who was fascinated by Japan wrote the story, and the opera "MIKADO" set in Japan became popular. There was a Japanese boom or fever in Australia as well.
Japanese plants first arrived in Australia in the 1890s. Australian breeders purchased from Yokohama Ueki (established in 1890) and Wada in Numazu, which had been exported overseas, and raised them according to the local environment. Since the 1950s, Camellia cultivation fever has spread to Australia and New Zealand. It was told " The climate of both countries is suitable for the growth of evergreen Camellia plants. It grows faster than any cultivated area." The variety of Camellia japonica was increasing in the catalog of seedling producers. In the Wylam's report (1952), all varieties were Japanese name. Since then, many varieties have been produced in Australia such as "Exquisite" "Lucinda" "Marie Young" "Plantation Pink" and "Violet Weymouth" .
Outline and History of Japanese gardens in Australia
There are 35 Japanese gardens in Australia now. Australia has the highest percentage of construction involving sister cities at 80%. The number of Japanese gardens in Australia is also proportional to the number of sister city tie-ups, as is the case overseas.
The first Japanese garden named Treasury Garden was built in Melbourne Australia in 1902. It is said that an Australian designed this garden who was involved in the construction of a Japanese garden built at the San Francisco Expo site. At that time, Japanese fever was happening in Europe and the United States. This garden has been broken but postcards remain in State Library Victoria. What you can see from the photo is not Japanese-style arbor, and you can see Australian native plants. Since it became a postcard, it can be inferred that it was a popular place at that time.
Australia's oldest Japanese garden is located at the Japanese Embassy. This garden has a pond and miscellaneous trees and has a walking style. It was built in 1963 by the famous Japanese landscape architect
(Juki Iida et al.). There are many Japanese gardens in Australia constructed by famous Japanese landscape architects. The first Japanese garden with the involvement of Japanese sister cities is 1982 in Rockhampton QL. After that, many gardens related to sister cities were created. Some of them use torii gates and vermilion-painted bridges that symbolize Japan. It is also seen that it was built on the street to appealing that it has a sister city relationship with Japan. Cowra Japanese Garden and Yusuen (Brisbane Botanical Garden) are focus as representative Japanese gardens in Australia.
Table 1. List of existing public Japanese garden in Australia (2019, Makita)
NO Opened Name *
1 1961 Japanese Garden in Embassy of Japan X
2 1972 Curtin University Japanese garden X
3 1975 The Japanese Studies Courtyard in the Social Science building X
4 1977 Japanese garden (Auburn Botanic Gardens) X
5 1979 Cowra Japanese Garden X
6 1982 Japanese Garden in Rockhampton o
7 1983 Nagoya Garden o
8 1984 Japanese Garden in Tamborine Mountain Botanical Garden X
9 1985 Himeji Garden o
10 1987 Japanese Garden in Royal Tasmania Botanic Garden o
11 1988 Japanese Tea Garden in Camp-belltown Art Center o
12 1988 Japanese Gardens in Perth zoo o
13 1988 Japanese garden in Fagan Park X
14 1989 Jurakuen in University of Southern Queensland X
15 1989 Yusuien in Brisbane Mt.Coot-tha Botanic Garden o
16 1991 Japanese Garden in Melbourne Zoo o
17 1992 Cyuo City Garden o
18 1993 Kawasaki Bridge o
NO Opene d Name *
19 1994 Gosford Edogawa commemorative Garden o
20 1993 Japanese Garden in Marion o
21 1996 The Rogan-En in Monash University X
22 1997 Frankston Susono Friendship Garden o
23 1998 Busselton Sugito Japanese Garden o
24 1998 Japanese Garden in Blackwater o
25 1998 Ohkuma Japanese Garden o
26 1999 Osawano Japanese Gardens o
27 1999 Canberra Nara Park o
28 1999 Miniature Japanese garden o
29 2001 Nerima Garden o
30 2002 Syoyoen o
31 2004 Adachi Park o
32 2004 Japanese Garden in North Bundaberg Botanic Garden o
33 2008 Miura friendship garden o
34 2008 Japanese Garden in North Coast Botanic Garden o
35 2013 Japanese Hyogo friendship Garden o
* o = involvement sister city in Japan
Fig. 3 Changes in the number of Japanese gardens Fig. 4 Landmark of sister city in Ho- Fig. 5 Landmark of sister city in in Australia bart, 1987 (Makita, 2008) Busselton, 1987 (Makita,2008)
The proses and Design of Cowra Japanese gardens
Many Japanese prisoners escaped from the POW camp. It was the largest prison break performed during World War II, a well-known historical event in the field called the Cowra Breakout. 234 prisoners died and are sleeping in the Cowra Japanese War Cemetery. A farmer lived in Cowra saw some Japanese gardens when he traveled in the U.S.A. He felt that "It can understand Japan more deeply by Japanese
gardens." and he wanted to build a Japanese garden in Cowra as well. An officer of the Cowra heard that, he proposed it to the town council and launched an organization of "Cowra Tourism Corporation" and built Japanese garden in 1979. Cowra Japanese garden's Mission is (1) Don't forget the horrors of war, (2) Advocate to go to the future based on reconciliation, (3) Requiescats to the Spirit, (4) Understand Japan. From 1949 to 1973, It had a white Australian policy in Australia. So Cowra's pro-Japanese deeds were very special.
They repeatedly contacted and begged the Japanese government and businesses for financial assistance to build the Cowra Japanese Garden, and raised funds, was introduced to a landscape architect "Ken Nakajima" in Japan from Japanese government. At the time of the first construction, they were able to get some subsidy from the Japanese government, but not enough.After opening in 1979, Don Kibler (then president of the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Association) visited Japan many times to meet with government officials and ask for help. They invited the Japanese Prime Minister to Cowra Japanese Garden. Their passion led to financial support from the Japanese government. The Cowra Japanese Garden expanded in 1986 to 50,000 m2, the largest in Australia.
Fig. 6 Full View of Cowra Japanese garden Fig. 7 Flower of Cowra Japanese garden
(Makita:2010) https://www.cowragarden.com.au/
Ken Nakajima designed Cowra Japanese garden. Nakajima looked at the planned garden site and said, "This is the only place to create a Japanese garden."The place had eucalyptus groves, undulating ground, and megaliths lay. The two rocks near the top of the land resembled ^M5(Syugoseki=power stone that is the
center of the scenery) and M^^5(Yougoseki=The stone that the gods and Buddha come) of a traditional Japanese garden. He thought "The spirits of Japanese soldiers and Australian civilians can see the scenery of their hometown recreated in this out-of-the-way countryside". With a memorial and requiescats in mind, he designed this garden with white and purple flowers and beautiful green gradations , a loose and gentle waterfall and stream.
Nakajima is good at making use of colors in garden design. The Cowra Japanese Garden is a pond spring strolling style that uses of the natural topography, rocks and plants.There are many highlights as a Japanese garden. Australian gardeners who has learned Japanese garden maintenance techniques in Japan are always stay. Other gardeners are trained in this garden and get the skills. This garden is maintains and keeping a beautiful appearance. Ken Nakajima was deeply involved with this garden in his later years. And his spirit (split bone) is sleeping in this garden. The location of Cowra Japanese Garden has been rewritten as "Ken Nakajima Pl". The homepage of Cowra Japanese Garden publishes some event announcements and a lot of pictures of the garden and flowers.
The annual number of Cowra Japanese Garden's visitors is maximum 70, 000. So, it was a small village with a population of 700 when the Japanese garden was built, however, it became a city with a population of 12,551. As the number of visitors to the Cowra Japanese garden has increased, Cowra city is developing as a tourist destination with the creating the campsites and the winery etc. in recent years. Cowra has a close relationship with Japan. The Cowra Japanese Garden has a special meaning as an Australian Japanese garden. Meaning is "wish for peace and friendship", "Role of town symbol". This is a successful example as a tourist destination. Cowra citizens have a special feeling for Japan. It can be said Cowra Japanese Garden has some influence on pople or other Japanese gardens in Australia.
Bibliography
1. Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture //Survey Report of Japanese gardens outside Japan. 2007.
2. Naoko MAKITA,Tsutomu HATTORI, Makoto SUZUKI, Ge DENG, Wenjing LV The Feature and Role of Japanese Gardens in Australia through Cultural Exchanges // The 47th The International Federation of Landscape Architects World Congres: Proceedings (CD, Session No.1). Japan. Suzhou. 2010
3. Naoko MAKITA, Tsutomu HATTORI, Makoto SUZUKI The Role of Japanese Gardens in International Sister City Exchanges, with a Focus on North America // North America Japanese Garden Association Conference (Denver, USA). USA, Denver. 2012 Pp. 21-22.
4. Naoko MAKITA Sightseeing use of Japanese gardens in Australia // Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture Kyushu Branch Conference Research Case Report 2017. Vol.25. Pp.33-34
5. Naotoshi Hakoda Sasanqua (camellia) across the sea // Bulletin of Keisen Institute of Horitculture. 2008. Vol.5. Pp. 28 - 36.
6. Richard Aitken et Michael Looker The Oxford Companion to Australian Gardens. 2002. 336
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7. Yokohama Ueki, History of Yokohama Planting Company // https://www.yokohamaueki.co.jp (Accessed 2019 Jan 5)
