![Himejigardensadelaide](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Himejigardensadelaide.jpg)
Adelaide Himeji Gardens is a traditionally-styled
Japanese garden
are traditional gardens whose designs are accompanied by Japanese aesthetics and philosophical ideas, avoid artificial ornamentation, and highlight the natural landscape. Plants and worn, aged materials are generally used by Japanese garden desig ...
, a gift from Adelaide's sister city,
Himeji
260px, Himeji City Hall
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...
in 1982. It is located in
Park 18
The Adelaide Park Lands are the figure-eight of land spanning both banks of the River Torrens between Hackney and Thebarton and separating the City of Adelaide area (which includes both Adelaide city centre and North Adelaide) from the surro ...
(Peppermint Park / Wita Wirra), one of the southern parts of the
Adelaide Park Lands
The Adelaide Park Lands are the figure-eight of land spanning both banks of the River Torrens between Hackney and Thebarton and separating the City of Adelaide area (which includes both Adelaide city centre and North Adelaide) from the surro ...
in
Adelaide, South Australia
Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...
.
Location
It is located in
Park 18
The Adelaide Park Lands are the figure-eight of land spanning both banks of the River Torrens between Hackney and Thebarton and separating the City of Adelaide area (which includes both Adelaide city centre and North Adelaide) from the surro ...
(Peppermint Park / Wita Wirra), one of the southern parts of the
Adelaide Park Lands
The Adelaide Park Lands are the figure-eight of land spanning both banks of the River Torrens between Hackney and Thebarton and separating the City of Adelaide area (which includes both Adelaide city centre and North Adelaide) from the surro ...
in
Adelaide, South Australia
Adelaide ( ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater A ...
.
The entrance is from
South Terrace South Terrace may refer to:
*South Terrace, Adelaide, Australia
*South Terrace, Fremantle, Australia
{{Road disambiguation ...
, between
Pulteney and
Hutt Street
Hutt Street is the easternmost of the five major north–south roads running through the City of Adelaide. It runs from Pirie Street to South Terrace, from where it continues south as Hutt Road. Flanked by leafy side streets with many late 19th ...
s.
History
The garden was originally designed by council staff, in consultation with the Adelaide Japanese community, after Adelaide and
Himeji
260px, Himeji City Hall
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 525,682 in 227,099 households and a population density of 980 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...
entered a
sister city
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
relationship in 1982. However, aspects of the garden's design were criticised, including its
cyclone fence
A chain-link fence (also referred to as wire netting, wire-mesh fence, chain-wire fence, cyclone fence, hurricane fence, or diamond-mesh fence) is a type of woven fence usually made from galvanized or linear low-density polyethylene-coated st ...
and lack of attention to detail.
In 1986–, Japanese landscape designer
Yoshitaka Kumada drew up plans to refurbish the garden, which included the purchase of trees and shrubs from
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, and stones from near Adelaide. After a
Shinto
Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
ground-breaking ceremony in May 1987, the works began, with Kumada himself overseeing the project. The little lake was reshaped, the
Sea of Sand
''Sea of Sand'' (released in the US as ''Desert Patrol'') is a 1958 British war film starring Richard Attenborough, John Gregson and Michael Craig (actor), Michael Craig. The film, which was directed by Guy Green (filmmaker), Guy Green, is abou ...
was expanded, and the garden filled with carefully selected plants and ornamentation to complement the granite
Okunoin lantern gifted by the City of Himeji in 1985.
[
The redesign was finally implemented completely in 1989, but Kumada continued to visit each year during the early 1990s, tweaking details and teaching techniques to the council gardeners.][
]
Description
Many of Kumada's design principles are still in evidence. The paving stones are of a size that compels an adult walker to slow down.[ The garden is split into a '' sansui'' (山水), a "mountain and lake garden", and a '']kare-sansui
The or Japanese rock garden, often called a zen garden, is a distinctive style of Japanese garden. It creates a miniature stylized landscape through carefully composed arrangements of rocks, water features, moss, pruned trees and bushes, and us ...
'' (枯山水), a "dry rock garden", intended to evoke mountains surrounded by water, even the sea.
The council's horticulture
Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...
team still use the techniques taught by Kumada himself, handed down as staff moved on. Maintenance of
the Sea of Sand demands careful attention, to retain its basic pattern, showing waves coming into those islands and straight lines for the ocean.[
]
References
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Asian-Australian culture in South Australia
Parks in Adelaide
Japanese gardens in Australia
South Terrace, Adelaide