tsuki-yama

landscaping

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July 21, 2026

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A tsuki-yama is a type of Japanese garden characterized by artificial hills and ponds, designed to represent a natural landscape. This style, along with hira-niwa (level ground gardens), forms the primary classifications of Japanese gardens.1

Tsuki-yama gardens often feature real water for streams and ponds. However, a variation called kare-sansui, or dry landscape, uses rocks to symbolize waterfalls and gravel or sand to represent water or dried-up terrain. These gardens, along with other styles like sen-tei (water garden) and rin-sen (forest and water), emphasize simplicity, restraint, and harmony with nature, aiming to inspire reflection and meditation.1

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Japanese garden
Types of gardens
…nature of the terrain, either tsuki-yama (“artificial hills”) or hira-niwa (“level ground”), each having particular features. Tsuki-yama consists of hills and ponds, and hira-niwa consists of flat ground designed to represent a valley or moor; tsuki-yama may include a portion laid out as hira-niwa. Each type may, furthermore, be treated…
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…nature of the terrain, either tsuki-yama (“artificial hills”) or hira-niwa (“level ground”), each having particular features. Tsuki-yama consists of hills and ponds, and hira-niwa consists of flat ground designed to represent a valley or moor; tsuki-yama may include a portion laid out as hira-niwa. Each type may, furthermore, be treated…
Read More