Purpose of establishment of the Council for Protecting Gardens Designated as Cultural Properties
The owners and administrators of the gardens that are designated as cultural properties share common challenges such as managerial approach of the gardens, techniques, expenses, and services for visitors. It is also our goal to promote our visitors’ understanding of garden culture through appreciation of the gardens. Thus, it was our long-desired wish to establish a council in order to share such challenges and contribute to the improvement of garden culture.
Preparations began in 1958. In November 1960, the concerned parties drafted regulations as founders at Koishikawa Korakuen in Tokyo and the Council for Protecting Gardens Designated as Cultural Properties was established. The statement of purpose at the time of establishment was as follows:
Statement of Purpose
Japanese traditional gardens have a history of more than one thousand years. The Japanese gardens possess unique beauty and superior landscape techniques and have been introduced globally, researched, studied, and appreciated internationally.
Among them, exceptionally fine gardens are designated as cultural properties as part of Japan’s important cultural heritage by the Cultural Properties Protection Law and special care for their maintenance has been given. There are more than one hundred gardens in Japan that are designated as historic or scenic sites so far. It is our long-desired wish to have a council for the administrators of the gardens designated as cultural properties, in order to discuss common challenges.
In July 1958, the first meeting was held at Korakuen in Okayama City in order to initiate this council, and the preparation began at the administration office in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office. The promoters gathered at Koishikawa Korakuen in Tokyo on November 29 of last year and the Council for Protecting Gardens Designated as Cultural Properties was founded in order to decide on regulations as shown in the separate sheet, to introduce and promote every garden, and to contribute to the improvement and development of the garden culture.
We hereby report the launching of the Council and request your support and approval.
The Council’s regulations have been amended several times, therefore excerpts of current regulations will be posted here.
Article 2 (Purpose): The purpose of the Council is to maintain close communication between the owners or administrators of the gardens or parks that are designated as cultural properties under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties (hereinafter “the designated gardens”) and a board of education of the local public body where the gardens are located (hereinafter “the administrators, etc.”), to promote and increase popularity of the designated gardens, and to take every possible measure for conservation and maintenance thereof.
Article 3 (Operations): The Council undertakes the following operations in order to achieve the purpose in the previous section.
1. The Council publishes opinions regarding important matters related to the designated gardens or makes proposals to the concerned administrative agencies.
2. The Council conducts research and studies on the management of the designated gardens as well as instructions and support for related activities.
3. The Council provides reciprocal communications between the administrators, etc. and exchanges information and publications.
4. The Council organizes conventions such as seminars, conferences, lectures, etc.
5. The Council hosts and supports exhibitions.
6. The Council publishes newsletters and other publications.
7. The Council provides other services that are deemed appropriate.
Article 5 (Types of members): There are two types of members on the Council.
1. Full member: the administrators, etc.
2. Supporting member: an individual or organization that supports the purpose of the Council and is approved by the board of directors.
Article 9 (Types of board members): The Council appoints the following board members.
1 Chairperson, 1 Vice chairperson, several permanent directors, several directors and 2 auditors.
History of Activities
It has been 59 years since the establishment of the Council for Protecting Gardens Designated as Cultural Properties in 1960. The Council has held an annual general meeting every year since then along with various public lectures, symposia, and site visits.
The first meeting was held at Koishikawa Korakuen in Tokyo and then at Nijo Castle in Kyoto, Korakuen in Okayama City, Ritsurin Garden in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, Kenrokuen in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Senganen in Kagoshima City, Shukkeien in Hiroshima City, Kairakuen in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and Aizu Matsudaira Garden in Aizu City, Fukushima Prefecture.
In recent years, the Council has often visited gardens that are newly designated. General meetings, public lectures, symposia, and site visits have been held at the following gardens:
2013: Kotonoura Onzan-souen in Kainan City and Yosuien in Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture
2014: Korakuen in Okayama City and Raikyu-ji Garden in Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture
2015: Garden of the former Ito Denemon residence in Iizuka City and Fujie Gyorakuen in Kawasaki-machi, Tagawa-gun, Fukuoka Prefecture
2016: Garden of the former Ikeda residence in Daisen City and the garden of the former Satake Family villa (Jyoshi-tei) in Akita City, Akita Prefecture
2017: Ryotan-ji Garden and Makaya-ji Garden in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
2018: Garden of the former Hori in Tsuwano-cho, Kanoashi-gun, Shimane Prefecture
The Council has examined subjects related to the conservation and maintenance of gardens as cultural properties at public lectures and symposia. For example, at the 54th general meeting in 2016, “an upkeep of famous gardens which convey the Japanese beauty” was selected as the theme and there was a panel discussion related to “the upkeep of scenic gardens”.
The gardens are considered cultural properties of the scenery in which the soil, stones, water, plants and breeze of each day are appreciated as part of that day’s particular scenery. These elements have a different speed of transformation, yet they create one living system as a garden and it exists as a living thing. As it continues to change, the garden is held together by the “upkeep” and it loses its value when it is not held together without the upkeep. An “upkeep” is essential in order for a garden to stay as a garden,
The scenery is a living thing which changes day-by-day or season-by-season and also over the years. The gardens which consist of the scenery are also living things. “The upkeep” of the garden is to accept the changes due to the fact that it is alive and respond to it. “The upkeep” which handles the life of the living garden is essential to the garden. As we came to the aforementioned conclusion regarding “the upkeep” at the panel discussion, we plan to establish “the upkeep” as a term for managing gardens.
In addition to the aforementioned activities, the Council for Protecting Gardens Designated as Cultural Properties also publishes newsletters and provides opportunities for the members to share information through our website.
Recently, the number of foreign visitors to the gardens designated as cultural properties has been rapidly increasing and the gardens are expected to serve as places that the visitors can experience Japanese culture. In order to respond to such trend, the Council will further develop activities such as providing information through websites and other publications, promoting mutual coordination between members, etc.
Chairperson
Akira Kameyama, professor emeritus at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
Number of members
142 (116 full members and 26 supporting members) as of April 01, 2024