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shima

island; garden (archaic)


A general term for a relatively small body of land surrounded by water. In Japanese gardens, an island placed in a pond has been a traditional design element since ancient times. The term shima was used to indicate the garden itself especially in the Asuka and Nara periods.


Japanese Garden Dictionary: A Glossary for Japanese Gardens and Their History
(C) 2010 by Ono Kenkichi and Walter Edwards. All rights reserved.