Japanese Garden Waterfall

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Water is one of the key elements of Japanese gardening. There are many kinds of Japanese water feature, from simple stone basins to majestic waterfalls like Japanese Garden Waterfall.

Water is an essential feature in any Japanese garden. Even dry Japanese gardens feature stylised water represented by gravel, and other kinds of Japanese garden always have some kind of water feature. From a simple stone basins and bamboo spouts, to ponds, streams and Japanese Garden Waterfall, the range of options shows how important water features are to the Japanese.

Water features are simultaneously refreshing and relaxing, and offer beauty in sound as well as sight. In Japanese gardens, water is usually in motion. When it's relatively still, it's often used to create beautiful reflections, for example by aligning a pond so it will reflect the full moon. Japanese water features are always inspired by nature, such as streams and waterfalls, or by practical needs, such as water basins and rain chains, and sometimes both.

Making a Japanese water feature needn't be difficult or expensive. See my step by step instructions for how to make a Japanese water feature, which describes the method I used for the tsukubai in my garden.

There are many kinds of Japanese water feature, so you can find something to suit any sized garden or budget. Here are a few examples.

Stone basins and tsukubai.

Stone water basins are the perfect Japanese water feature for a tiny garden. You can place it on its own, or in the traditional arrangement known as a tsukubai.

Rain chains

Rain chains are the Japanese answer to drainpipes, and a lot more attractive. Beautiful and practical.

Bamboo spout and zenigataBamboo fountains and spouts (kakei).

Bamboo spouts are very common in Japanese gardens, and are especially perfect for a rustic style gardens. You'll find them pouring water into a Japanese stone basin, or pouring into a pond.

Shishi odoshi (deer scarer)

A very rustic water feature; a bamboo pipe which collects and then releases water, making a rhythmic knocking sound as it goes.

Ponds

In a Japanese garden, a pond can be simply a pond, or it can represent a shore line.

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Japanese Garden Waterfall

In a Japanese garden, a stream can represent the course of life itself. This water feature works best if you model it very closely on nature – for example, the steeper the slope, the faster the water runs, and the deeper it cuts.

If the larger waterworks required building this kind of water feature are more than you want to take on, you could consider making a symbolic stream out of flat rocks or gravel.