Shigemori Mirei, His Life and Work　

Shigemori Mirei is one of the most prominent landscape designers in post-war Japan. Long considered an outsider in Japan because of his modern and radical designs, he is now gaining appreciation for his contribution to revitalizing the art of the Japanese garden.
Mirei was born on August 8, 1896, in Okayama Prefecture. His acute aesthetic sense can be explained by a deep interest in Japanese traditions, especially tea ceremony and ikebana (flower arrangement) which he began learning as a teenager. This traditional background was contrasted with a deep knowledge of Occidental avant-garde paintings and philosophy, learned at the Tokyo's Fine Arts University. It's possible, however, that Mirei would have never become a landscape designer if not for his experiences surveying the historic gardens of Japan. He didn't inherit his art from any master or gardening school, but from his own experience.
A man of letters, always trying to deepen his knowledge of history, culture and art, Mirei received numerous guests daily, enjoying discussions over cups of green tea. Among the visitors were eminent scholars and Buddhist monks as well as artists and artisans. Already during his lifetime, Mirei's reputation was not confined to Japan but had spread overseas; therefore his guests included many non-Japanese, notably the famous Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi.
Shigemori Mirei passed away on March 12, 1975, in Kyoto, at age 78.

Gardens appearing in this book

・Tōfuku-ji Abbot’s Hall, “Garden of Eight Phases”
・Kōmyō-in Temple, “Moon Among Waves Garden”
・Ryōgin-an garden, “Garden of the Dragon,” “Garden of the Inseparable,” “Garden of Emptiness”
・Zennō-ji temple “Garden for the Peace of the Departed”
・Kōsei-ji temple, “Garden of the Peaceful Heart,” “Delightful Moon Garden”
・Zuihō-in temple, “Garden of Solitary Meditation,” “Quietly Sleeping Garden”
・Zuiō-in temple, “Path Garden,” “Coming of the Buddha Garden”
・Former SHIGEMORI Mirei residence (SHIGEMORI Mirei garden museum) “Unnamed garden”
・Iwashimizu Hachimangū shrine “Office garden,” “Kyūhō Garden”
・Kibune-jinja shrine “Garden of sacred rocks”
・Matsuo grand shrine “Undulating Stream Garden,” “Garden of Ancient Times”
・Shōden-ji temple, “Garden of the Lion Family Crossing the River”
・Funda-in temple, garden created by the painter Sesshū
・Reiun-in temple “Garden of Nine Mountains and Eight Seas,” “Quiet Clouds Garden”