Tofuku-ji (B-132)

This garden was designed by Shigemori Mirei, one of Japan’s most famous contemporary garden artists. He is responsible for arranging the square stones in the traditional ichimatsu (checkerboard) pattern. So many choices are possible in composing this image—which section of the pattern do you select? How many stones do you include? William respected the intention of the gardener and captured just enough stones to express the spirit of the garden. As the regular checkerboard pattern disappears, the stones are placed further away from each other, and become more and more sparse. In some places, the thick moss is raised, which creates a sense of depth and three-dimensionality. These beautifully arranged blue-gray stones stand out in the rich green moss; the pink azaleas add an accent. The simplicity is serene.