kamejima　亀島

KEY WORD :　architecture / gardens

Lit. tortoise island. A small island made with several stones that express the head, feet and tail of a tortoise. Found in both wet pond and dry pond *kareike 枯池 gardens, it is symbolic of longevity and often features in gardens where Mt. Penglai *Houraisan 蓬莱山 is represented. According to ancient legend, Mt. Penglai was borne on the back of a tortoise. The stones representing each part of the tortoise have names: the tail may be indicated with a tail stone *biseki 尾石 or osaki-ishi 尾崎石, the legs with the leg stones, kikyakuseki 亀脚石, the head with the head stone, kitouseki 亀頭石, the feet with the foot stones, kisokuseki 亀足石, the front fins with the hand stones, kishuseki 亀手石 and, in a few cases, the carapace with the shell stones, kikkouseki 亀甲石. Usually a pine is planted on the kamejima to indicate the connection with immortality. The kamejima is invariably paired with the crane island *tsurujima 鶴島.

REFERENCES:

*hourai teien 蓬莱庭園, *hourai youshiki 蓬莱様式

EXTERNAL LINKS:

NOTES:

(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System.　No reproduction or republication without written permission. 掲載のテキスト・写真・イラストなど、全てのコンテンツの無断複製・転載を禁じます。