THE JAPANESE GARDEN IN TASHKENT

The Japanese garden in Tashkent built on base of mutual initiative of Embassy of Japan to Uzbekistan and Ministry for foreign economic relations of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the territory of the Republican trade-exhibition center "Uzexpocentre" welcomed its first visitors in August, 25, 2001.
"Mitsui & Co" and "Shimidzu" companies and Japanese International Cooperation Agency - JICA took part in construction of the garden from Japanese side.
Sekitei is a philosophical garden of stones. It abstractly reflects beauty of Nature: Ocean and Earth, Kindness and Evil, Life and Death, Love and Hatred, Light and Darkness are included in light "Yan" and dark "In" which make Dao-way of the Universe, general law of Nature. 15 stones of Sekitei symbolize full moon and excite the imagination. Here everyone sees his own symbolic picture of the world.

The Japanese garden is a special place. One should sink into world of national perception of Japanese people in order to understand garden's beauty, to feel the spirit, intensity and originality of Japanese culture, to get to know philosophy, way of thinking, rule of values of other people.
Not only stones bewitch glance but smooth surface of water of big lake as well that reflects clouds floating in the sky. Stones and water are main elements of each Japanese garden. An old lake is an essential part of the Japanese garden according to idea of Japanese landscape architects. Sakura, a holy national Japanese tree flowers in spring on the shores of lake.

Wooden wall Tsuijibei divides the Japanese garden into two gardens: Karesansui (garden with stones and trees) and Chisenkaiyuo (garden with pond, stream and flowering glades)

Teimon - "Garden's gates" of Chisenkaiyuo is decorated modestly so that a person could feel himself simply and calmly. Stone lantern "Kasugadooroo" on the left of Teimon reminds a small Buddhist pagoda lightening up the entrance to the garden. It symbolizes stages of comprehension of the truth. On the right Teimon group is decorated by traditional torii with paper lantern Chochin. Its light is the reflection of sun crowning world of Nature.
Having overstepped three stairs of simple unsquared stones with Japanese grass "dragon's bird" growing around, passing by Sedzi - typical for Japanese architecture sliding partitions and having crossed the threshold which symbolizes respect to ancestors in Japan, we enter an ideal harmonious landscape. Here Nature's beauty which finely underlined by means of landscape art, bears the seal of philosophical and moral origin.
The creaky, rough, winding path of gravel "enro" let you hear your own steps and sink into own inner world prior to meet with divine Nature.
Green meadows Shibaniwa are decorated by chess design Ichimatsu-Moyoo - "stones in grass" which bear senses of quiver and powerful force of delicate life in tender grasses pushing up to the sun through number of stones.

Buden - a tea-house is located in the heart of the Japanese garden. Rite of tea ceremony "Chya-no-yu" worked out in all particulars in Japan is the spiritual-aesthetic sacrament for comprehension of beauty concealed in weekdays' life. There is a water source Chyozubachi in front of Buden for ritual ablutions "matsuri". Decorative composition Chyozubachi consists of original stone lantern looking like a belfry, rocky stones, bamboo drain and stone bowl Tsukubai (Chyozubachi) reminding by its outlines an old samurai coin.
The skill of enjoying by good of life presented, rejoicing at sun, delighting in taste of water and breath of wind, birds' song, admiring the grasses and flowers instead of burning in fire of empty wishes - this is a wisdom of simplicity penetrating the philosophy of the Japanese garden.
Along with melodious peal of bronze bell frightening off evil spirits, we enter tea-house with a clear heart - "refuge of emptiness" where Japans getting rid of things became free from vanity.
All the people are becoming equal before face of Nature and beauty during rite of tea ceremony.
A few well chosen items of tea set where each cup is related to different season of year and unique in form and paintings and also a wooden cup and a bronze pot are used for admiration by beauty that is the inner essence of existence.
In the quiet you can have a cup of special variety's strong brewed green tea frothed by bamboo brush enjoying solitude and calm.
Buden is open for fresh wind and sunny rays and blends with natural garden surrounding it. Veranda of tea house - Tsukimidai is situated quite over waters of pond Ike. It is served as a place for meeting the evenings of moon light and opens picturesque view of park Chisenkaiyuo that is a model of immense Nature in miniature.





Central hill - Tsukiyama incarnates big mountain and stones on its slopes remind the distant rocks. Two flows of waterfalls "Taki" come down from mountain: right powerful masculine "Yan", left gentle feminine "In", their streams unite in pond "Ike". Banks of Ike reveted pebbles remind you of coast Ishihama in smooth stony outlines. Stony island Gantoo reflects in abstract the sea rocks in ocean. Brook Nagare flows out of pond Ike over which there is a wooden small bridge Mokkyoo.
Stone lantern Yukimidooroo excellently shows beauty of landscape and says about transience of escaping beauty and value of each instant. Banks of Ike reveted pebbles remind you of coast Ishihama in smooth stony outlines. Stony island Gantoo reflects in abstract the sea rocks in ocean. Brook Nagare flows out of pond Ike over which there is a wooden small bridge Mokkyoo. Stone lantern Yukimidooroo excellently shows beauty of landscape and says about transience of escaping beauty and value of each instant.
Fascination of marsh pond Hasuike that surrounded by reed and sedge is beyond expression. You can admire by snow-white lotuses personifying purity and perfection and gentle pink water-lilies waking up at sunrise and going to sleep at sunset on water surface of the lake.

From the height of small bridge Mokkyoo you have an unusual effect of perception of Nature's world with surprising beauty and clear harmony: running brook seems as a big lake coming through rocks and seething far down, Yukimidooroo becomes as a Buddhist pagoda forsaken far in mountains and we see the glades of flowers spreading down from height of bird's flight.



There are two summer-houses Azumaya among flowering glades and near by pond. They are served for meditation about harmony of the Universe inspiring it into person's soul.
The Japanese garden is always different in Uzbekistan: at dawn, in moonlight, in the sun and after the rain, in fine spring and in mature fall. But at any time it is uniquely beautiful!
We present three Japanese prayings "norito" with thanks for visiting for guests of the Japanese garden which are close and clear to everybody: "Let the diseases be past ! Let peace be in the family and good luck in the things !" That is all person needs to be happy.
When you are sad or glad: "Irasshyaimase" - "Welcome to the Japanese garden in Tashkent !"