This story and the art are captured in
“Rankafu: Orchid Print Album,” another publication
by Kew featuring several authors. They
argue that the practice of woodblock art, which
has an equivalent form in Europe, reached an
epitome in Japan. “The quartet of publisher,
artist, carver, and printer all contribute to the
quality of the woodblock print. It is rare that
these four stars are in such perfect alignment
that an exceptional example of this art form is
created. The Rankafu woodblock print set is such
a type example.”
It took long determination by Kaga to achieve
his goal, with the dangers for his country during
World War II (and to himself, for his quiet
opposition to the war). The prints were not
issued until 1946 but became prized collector
items. In “Rankafu,” the complete set of 83
prints are presented together, along with many
watercolors by Ikeda that were not developed
into woodblocks. It is a beautiful book, but also
a fascinating story of the intense, collective effort
by many to produce lasting beauty.
Bibliography
Cali, Joseph. “The New Zen Garden: Designing Quiet Spaces.
” Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2004.
ISBN: 4-7700-2981-0, $32.00.
Previously Reviewed in the “Bulletin”
Kendall Brown has
written several books
about Japanese style
gardens in North
America, and I have
reviewed most of
them in the “Bulletin.”
Many of the featured
gardens are on the Pacific Coast and open to the
public. He has also profiled the major designers
of these gardens.
Other previously reviewed books include
two by Wybe Kuitert that provide an in-depth
history of Japanese gardens from the earliest
time through the middle of the 20th century,
concentrating on the symbolism of their art and
their importance in Japanese society. Yotaro
Tsukamoto and John Creech tell a parallel history
of Japanese horticultural practices and how they
have changed with Western influences.
All of these books are listed in the bibliography
section, with the date of the original review.
The reviews can be accessed through links from
the Miller Library’s online catalog (www.millerlibrary.org).
m
Hobson, Jake. “Niwaki: Pruning, Training and Shaping Trees the Japanese Way.” Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2007.
ISBN: 978-0-88192-835-8, $34.95.
Kawaguchi, Yoko, Alex Ramsay, photographer. “Japanese Zen Gardens.” London: Frances Lincoln Limited, 2014.
ISBN: 978-0-7112-3447-5, $50.00.
Keane, Marc P. “Japanese Garden Design.” Rutland, VT: C. E. Tuttle, 1996. ISBN: 0-8048-2071-6, $39.95.
Kirby, Stephen, Toshikazu Doi, and Toru Otsuka. “Rankafu: Orchid Print Album.” Richmond, Surrey, UK: Kew Publishing, 2018.
ISBN: 978-1-84246-668-1, $50.00.
Levy-Yamamori, Ran and Gerard Taaffe. “Garden Plants of Japan.” Portland OR: Timber Press, 2004.
ISBN: 0-88192-650-7, $59.95.
Yamanaka, Masumi, Martyn Rix, Hideaki Oba, Jin Murata, and Tetsuo Koyama. “Flora Japonica.” Richmond, Surrey, UK: Royal
Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2016. ISBN: 978-1-84246-612-4, $42.00.
Reviewed previously in “The Bulletin” (issue date in parentheses)
Brown, Kendall and Melba Levick, photographer. “Japanese-Style Gardens of the Pacific West Coast.” New York: Rizzolli, 1999.
ISBN: 0847821099. (Spring 2007)
Brown, Kendall and David Cobb, photographer. “Quiet Beauty: Japanese Gardens of North America.” North Clarendon, VT:
Tuttle Pub., 2013. ISBN: 978-4-8053-1195-0, $34.95. (Fall 2013)
Brown, Kendall and David Cobb, photographer. “Visionary Landscapes: Japanese Garden Design in North America the work of
five contemporary masters.” North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Pub., 2017. ISBN: 978-4-8053-1386-2, $24.95. (Fall 2018)
Kuitert, Wybe. “Japanese Gardens and Landscapes, 1650-1950.” Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2016.
ISBN: 978-0-8122-4474-8, $69.95. (Fall 2018)
Kuitert, Wybe. “Themes in the History of Japanese Garden Art.” Honolulu: Univeristy of Hawai’I Press, 2002.
ISBN: 0824823125. (Fall 2018)
Tsukamoto, Yotaro and John Creech. “Japanese Horticulture: Origins and History.” Yokohama-shi: Woods Press, Inc., 2015.
ISBN: 978-4907029043. (Spring 2017)
Summer 2020 v 29