Japanese Garden
Welcome to the Garden of Walks and Stillness
The garden is the winning contribution in a design competition announced during the Design Year 2005. Yasuragi then invited 8 designers and creators to design the outdoor space at Yasuragi. A jury with different areas of expertise was appointed.
The contribution called The Garden of Walking and Stillness was the proposal that according to the jury best suited the activities and guests at Yasuragi.
The garden is designed by NOD, Nature-oriented Design in collaboration with art professor Gunilla Bandolin. The original proposal includes more parts than what we can see today, and hopefully the garden will be able to evolve in all its parts over the years. The design of the garden is based on the existing nature.
The Japanese word Yasuragi can be translated as the exhalation one makes when letting go and truly relaxing. And where can one best achieve this state of mind if not in nature. Our hope is that the garden will be an extension of the other activities and what we want to offer you, our guests. Namely, an opportunity to relax and become a bit more of oneself. We all know the positive impact nature has on our health and well-being, so for us it was a natural progression to go beyond the walls of the house and create a place for stillness and reflection outdoors. In the Japanese garden aesthetics, it is the untouched nature that is the great teacher. The goal is not to imitate nature, but to condense and abstract it to make room for the visitor's interpretation.
The location, Hasseludden, is an old property that was used as a summer residence with a merchant villa by the water. LO bought it and built the LO School in the early 70s. The architect hired was the Japanese Yoji Kasajima and he designed the house according to Feng Shui, hence the house follows the terrain both in height and sideways. He was also careful to save as many trees as possible.
Now we wish you a lovely and present walk in our garden. Walk in the sign of stillness, open your senses, and let nature embrace you.
Welcome out!
You start at the exit towards the water via the hotel reception.
1. Plateau
As you can see here, the vegetation has taken on a more permanent expression in the concrete slab – almost like a play of shadows. Perhaps a reflection on the traces we leave behind on this earth, or on the impermanence of all things, despite the seemingly lasting impressions we make.
2. Serpentine Path
We are now heading towards the Resting Place. See the winding path down as an opportunity to slow down and take one step at a time fully present with what is here and now.
Right before the Resting Place, you will see a Magnolia tree. The Magnoliaceae family consists of about ten genera, comprising approximately 240 species of both evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs. Magnolias give a prehistoric feeling, and some look the same as they did 50 million years ago.
3. The Resting Place
In front of you, you see The Moon Gate. It is made of woven willow. Take a moment, sit on the bench, and take a few deep breaths. The gate here is a symbol of how we move from one world to another. What do you want to leave behind? What is your direction in life? A theme within Japanese art that typically consists of a pathway or a bridge. Stepping stones are a symbol of our journey through life. A larger stone urges us to stop with both feet and take in the surroundings. Walk on the stones, not between them.
4. Oak and Pine Room
Right after the Moon Gate, slightly up to the left, you'll find the oak and pine room. Here you can sit down on one of the rocks and let yourself be surrounded by the branches. Within the Japanese aesthetics, there is an expression called Ma, simply put, it is the space or void around an object. This becomes particularly interesting when an artistic form can be discovered not primarily in the physical object itself but in the emptiness surrounding it or that can be found between two or more objects. Feel free to sit here for a while and see what you can see/discover in nature, among the branches.
5. The Water
Water in a garden creates sounds and reflections. Water as an element symbolizes movement and freedom, reminding us of the relentless passage of time. Water is also a reminder of the journey towards the vast sea, towards the ocean, towards eternity. A Buddhist proverb says: "Learn this from water; loudly splashing brooks are merry, but the deep waters of the ocean are still."
6. Stone River
Water in its tranquil form. The silent river that lasts forever. Stand completely still and observe what moves within you. See the view towards the beautiful pine tree that has been preserved and enhanced by removing surrounding vegetation. Part of the art is to create an eye for the naturally beautiful that already exists in the place and then refine, enhance it. Something to consider if you have your own garden at home, Japanese or not. It's just a matter of training your eye.
7. Rundillen
Rundillen is designed by Gunilla Bandolin who also created the Observatory at Sickla Udde and some of the sculptures in the Södra länken. Rundillen directs concentration inwards and vertically: towards the sky
and towards the earth. A place where heaven and earth meet.
Here on the large wooden deck, we sometimes have activities such as qi gong or yoga. Companies that come to Yasuragi for meetings often choose to gather here for a mingle or similar, and it happens that we have weddings here on Rundillen, where heaven and earth meet.
Around Rundillen there is a circular stone garden. Unusual. A stone garden consists of groups of odd-numbered stones 3-5-7 is common, and you can never see all the stones at once.
Discover the way back, see the same things but from a new perspective.
”Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and grass grows by itself.”
(Zen saying)
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