JOJG No. 42

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  Japanese Garden Survey

Word Association Survey

In 2004 JOJG distributed a query to more than 100 professionals working in careers related to Japanese homes, gardens, and interiors. The survey asked the following question:

What do you associate with Japanese gardens and the Sukiya Living Environment?

Participants were provided a list of 130 terms that were nominated by JOJG. They were asked to check off as many terms as they liked, and space was provided on the worksheet for them to write-in any other items that were not on the list.

The results of the survey are presented below. 96% of the pros said that they associate “The Integration of House and Garden” with JN gardens. 92% selected “Sukiya-style Architecture,” and 86% selected “Natural Materials.” Some items such as “Zen Buddhism,” and “Geomancy” received very few votes.

The Top 5 Terms Were:

1. Integration of House & Garden   (96%)
2. Sukiya-style Architecture   (92%)
3. Natural Materials   (86%)
4. Craftsmanship   (83%)
5. Engawa Verandas   (82%)
 

Here's the Rest of the List:

Human sense perception 80%
Stone (the material) 78%
Fine carpentry 77%
High quality 76%
Aesthetic tree pruning 76%
Wabi-sabi aesthetic 75%
Beauty of nature 74%
Pine trees 72%
Delicate proportions 68%
Katsura Imperial Villa 67%
Natural patterns 66%
Stone arrangements 65%
Functional stones 64%
Sheared shrubs 63%
Stepping-stone paths 62%
Water basins 62%
Tea gardens 61%
Simplicity 60%
Dry gardens (karesansui) 58%
Garden views 58%
Teahouse 58%
Nobedan paths 56%
Tamamono shrubs 55%
Elimination of ornament 54%
Shoe removal stones 54%
Tea ceremony 53%
Tokonoma (alcove) 53%
Stone lanterns 53%
Moss 52%
Roji - the “dewy path” 52%
Borrowed scenery 52%
Hide-and-reveal 51%
Koi 49%
Machiai waiting benches 49%
Murin-an 49%
Overlook stones (haiseki) 48%
Azalea shrubs 48%
Floor to ceiling windows 48%
Gates 47%
Shoji doors 47%
Tatami mats 47%
Timberframe 45%
Bamboo (the plant) 45%
Bamboo fences 44%
Koi ponds 44%
Raked gravel 43%
Stroll gardens 43%
O-zashiki living room 43%
Sen-no-Rikyu 42%
Slender wood elements 42%
Japanese bath 42%
Kyoto 41%
Gogan-ishigumi 39%
Adachi Art Museum 38%
Yarimizu stream 37%
Fusuma doors 35%
Clay-lined ponds 35%
Enshu Kobori 35%
Portland JN Garden 34%
Ryoan-ji 34%
Tiled roof 35%
Ergonomics 31%
Hashira posts 30%
Mitate 29%
Edo Period 29%
Tsukiyama berms 28%
Everyday lifestyle 28%
Kinkaku-ji 28%
Sakutei-ki 28%
Tripod ladder 27%
Landscape painting 24%
Relaxed mood 24%
Genkan foyers 24%
Sugi lumber 24%
Ranma 21%
Satisfaction in Life 20%
Toko-bashira 19%
Life energy (ki) 18%
Meditation 18%
Isao Yoshikawa 14%
Temple 13%
Four seasons 12%
Enclosure 11%
Subtleness 11%
Patina 11%
Intimacy 10%
Ama-ochi drainage system 10%
Asymetrical balance 10%
Bamboo (the material) 10%
Heian Period 9%
Mud walls 9%
Muromachi Period 9%
Ornaments 9%
Paradise gardens 9%
Rain chains 9%
Ginkaku-ji 9%
Thatched roofs 9%
Buddhism 8%
Daitoku-ji 8%
Stone-setting monks 8%
Bonsai 6%
Buddha statue 5%
Shintoism 5%
Symbolism 5%
Torii gates 5%
Zen Buddhism 5%
Scalene triangle 4%
Southern Sung Dynasty 4%
Spiritualism 3%
Shinto shrines 2%
Taoism 2%
Chinese history 1%
Fu dogs 0%
Fung shui (fusui) 0%
Geomancy 0%

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