Iwakura Japanese Gardens specializes in design, construction, and on-going care of custom Japanese-inspired gardens throughout central Ohio and beyond. From small courtyard spaces and shade gardens to larger stone compositions and water features, we craft landscapes that are designed to elevate the outdoor space of any home, business or public setting. Whether expansive or intimate, every project is approached as a unique work of art, shaped through skilled craftsmanship and uncompromising attention to detail.

 

 

 

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Iwakura (岩倉), pronounced “ee-wah-koo-rah,” translates literally as “stone seat,” but is often understood as “sacred stone.” In Japan’s indigenous Shinto tradition, iwakura were revered stones believed to house spiritual presence, often marked with a sacred rope known as a shimenawa. This deep reverence for stone remains central to Japanese garden design today. While the stones in Japanese gardens are typically not considered iwakura, they form the foundation of the space. Water, plants, and ornamental elements may vary, but stone always grounds the space and gives it structure, meaning, and permanence.