green plants inside white building

What is at the Royal Botanic Gardens?

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, located in London, feature several notable examples of Japanese wooden architecture and related structures:

1. Chokushi-Mon (Imperial Envoy’s Gateway)

  • A beautiful, four-fifths-scale replica of the Karamon Gate of the Nishi Hongan-ji temple in Kyoto.
  • Originally built for the 1910 Japan-British Exhibition and relocated to Kew in 1911.
  • Surrounded by a serene Japanese landscape, emphasizing traditional aesthetics and craftsmanship.

2. Japanese Minka House

  • An authentic, traditional Japanese farmhouse, meticulously dismantled in Japan and reconstructed in Kew Gardens.
  • Offers insights into rural Japanese life, traditional construction techniques, and cultural heritage.
  • Located within the Bamboo Garden, enhancing the setting’s authenticity.

3. Japanese Landscape and Bamboo Gardens

  • Features carefully curated plantings, stone lanterns, and traditional garden elements, complementing the wooden structures.
  • Showcases Japanese gardening principles like harmony, simplicity, and tranquility.

Together, these features at Kew Gardens provide a unique and immersive experience of traditional Japanese wooden architecture and landscape design in the United Kingdom.