DESCRIPTION:

A Japanese garden reflects Japanese culture and values. Discover the traditions and visit our two acre authentic Japanese Garden designed by Takao Watanabe. Rocks provide the backbone for
this Hill and Pond garden. The garden was built on water. It features three islands, three bridges,
a waterfall and a Bentendo, a hexagonal structure common throughout Japan and named for
Benten, a goddess of wealth, happiness, wisdom, and music. Create individual take-home
gardens.  TAKE HOME JAPANESE GARDENS!

Age level: Grades 1-6

Program length: 1 hour 25 minutes = 85 minutes
  (This includes 5-minute intro & rotation between two 40-minute stations.)

KEY CONCEPTS:

1. Japan is a country of mountains and ocean, made up of islands in the Pacific Ocean.
2. The design of a Japanese garden provides a respite from everyday life and its noise and turmoil.
3. Respect and love for nature is the central value embodied in a Japanese garden.
4. Rocks are an important element in Japanese garden design, and can be used to symbolize some cultural values.
5. A Japanese garden is meant to be viewed with the eyes and also experienced with the imagination of the visitor; much is only suggested.
   
   

MN Social Studies Standards:

1.3.2.3, 4.2.3.2, 5.3.1.3

Places have physical characteristics (such as climate, topography and
vegetation) and human characteristics (such as culture, population, political and economic
systems).

1.4.2.4, 2.4.2.4

The differences and similarities of cultures around the world are attributable to
their diverse origins and histories, and interactions with other cultures throughout time.

2.3.4.9

The environment influences human actions; and humans both adapt to, and change, the
environment.

3.3.3.6, 4.3.3.6, 6.3.3.6

Geographic factors influence the distribution, functions, growth and
patterns of cities and human settlements.

TOUR:

1. Norumandāru Nihon Teien ノルマンダール日本庭園 Normandale Japanese Garden at Normandale Community College is a Hill-and-Pond Garden. These are the oldest and most visited Japanese-inspired gardens outside Japan.
   
   
2. The garden features artificial hills contoured around a pond, a waterfall, and three islands, along with carefully placed rocks. Among the major architectural elements of the garden are wooden and stone bridges, stone lanterns, a viewing pavilion, the torii or gateway, and the Bentendo, a Shinto shrine.
   
   
3. Japanese gardens are designed to mirror nature, particularly Japan's rocky coastline and mountainous landscape, using trees, plants, and structures on a scale that creates animpression of greater space.
   
   
4. Simplicity, symmetry and "harmonious asymmetry" are important in Japanese gardens
5. There is a balance between the built and natural, the temporary and lasting. There are many evergreen plants (especially pines), which symbolize permanence; brightly colored flowering plants are used with restraint.
   
   
6. Many of these plants are traditionally found in Japanese gardens, including Japanese irises, Japanese maples, Japanese flowering cherries and crabapple trees, which mark the beginning of spring grow along the shoreline of the pond. The trees blossoms are beautiful but last a short time and they remind us that change is important in nature.

MN Math Standards

4.3.3.2

Apply reflections (flips) to figures by reflecting over vertical or horizontal lines and relate reflections to lines
of symmetry.

MN Science Standards

BENCHMARK:

2.4.1.1.1 Plant Characteristics
Describe and sort plants into groups in many ways, according to their physical characteristics and behaviors.