Japanese gardens are small-scale reproductions of nature scenes, so the ponds are representing seas or oceans, rocks can serve as islands, and a small water stream embodies a river.

The mound photographed here in the Koko-en garden represents a hill, and this element is also used to separate the main garden types. The flatland gardens are called hiraniwa, while those including mounds and ponds are called tsukiyama, hill gardens.

Koko-en, Tsukiyama-chisen-no-niwa, Himeji

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Nakamura Tokichi Honten, a tea merchant house on UNESCO World Heritage List