Garden remains excavated next to the palaces of successive emperors of the Asuka period. This garden is thought to have been built as the palace garden of Empress Saimei in the mid seventh century, and the possibility that it was also the garden called Shiranishiki no misono, mentioned in the Nihon shoki account of the reign of Emperor Tenmu, is high. The pond's outline shows a combination of straight and curved lines, and it has stone shore edging and a stone-paved bottom. There was a fixture made of stone for drawing water into the pond, and a stone fountain within the pond itself. It is located in village of Asuka, Nara prefecture. It is designated a national historic site and scenic spot.
Japanese Garden Dictionary: A Glossary for Japanese Gardens and Their History
(C) 2010 by Ono Kenkichi and Walter Edwards. All rights reserved.
