We drove to Toowoomba on the weekend to visit the Japanese Garden at the University. This is something that I’ve wanted to do for a while now, ever since I was at university there. So, this weekend, we took the time to make the 2 hour drive to see the garden. The garden is on a 4.5 hectare site, it is Australia’s largest and most traditionally designed Japanese stroll garden.
From the brochure:
Its elements of mountain stream and waterfall, Dry Garden, central lake, Azalea Hill, three kilometres of paths, 230 species of Japanese and Australian native trees and plants, and lawns combine in a seamless and restful harmony.
Japanese gardens emphasise the use of rocks to create three dimensional pictures in stone. All the large rocks in Ju Raku En were accurately placed by the designer of the garden, Professor Kinsaku Nakane of Kyoto, so as to appear naturally dispersed in a random way.
Ju Raku En is more than just a group of rocks stitched together by water and artificially created hills and forests. It is actually a presentation of Buddhist paradise with the celestial sea (the lake) lapping the rocky shores of the three islands where the immortals are said to dwell. The material world is the outer edge of the lake and a symbolic journal to paradise may be made by crossing one of the four bridges to the islands.
The master plan for Ju Raku En and the design for the community building and tea house were prepared in Japan after site analysis and intensive background studies by staff of the Nakane Garden Research. Construction commenced in 1983 after 3 years of planning.
I took a few photos while I was there. I could have taken a lot more since it was a very inspiring place but I had left my spare card at home. Still, I came away with 200 photographs and a very pleasant and restful time taking them.
