Publisher's Synopsis
Shisendo is an elegant hermit's retreat in Kyoto designed and built by the great poet Ishikawa Jozan (1583-1672). Renowned as one of Kyoto's loveliest and most intimate gardens, it has the tranquillity and sad, soft beauty that was the aesthetic ideal of Jozan and his time. This book is a collaboration among scholars of Jozan's poetry, his calligraphy and his design prowess. In addition, it includes a biography of Jozan, a detailed description of his garden and the architectural features of his retreat, and a new translation of Shuichi Kato's short story about Jozan.
