The turtle and crane island of Konchi-in

Today, we want to explore two popular elements in Japanese gardens. The picture of the turtle and the crane.

For this, we will take the garden of Koichi-in in Kyoto as an example, where we have both elements as a rock setting (island) in one garden.

However, these pictures can be found in many other gardens too, and not always as an island.

Sūden was the founder and head priest of Konchi-in, which is part of Nanzen-ji. Sūdens more common name is Ishin Sūden (以心崇伝, 1569–1633).

It is said that after visiting Katsura Rikyū, Sūden decided to have a garden built at his temple to welcome Tokugawa Iemitsu.

For this task, he commissioned Kobori Enshū. While the famous garden designer and tea master made the plans for the garden, two other gardeners carried out the works. Kentei 賢庭 was in charge of the rocks. He did brilliant work. Remember that setting rocks was the heart piece of constructing a Japanese garden! The plants were done by Murase Sasuke 村瀬佐介, a student under Kobori Enshū.

Let’s dive deeper into the garden now.

From the hōjō we have a view of a large white gravel area. It is, common for Kyoto, created with Shirakawa suna.

Behind the gravel area is a narrow area with the rock settings placed and behind that high plants pruned in ōkarikomi style.

On the left is the rock setting of tsuru island, and on the left the rock setting of kame island.

Tsuru and kame, crane and turtle, are both symbols for longevity. There is a proverb in Japan, saying a crane lives a thousand years and a turtle a ten thousand years.

But this is not all. The crane is a symbol for a long love and loyalty because a pair of cranes stays together forever or, at least, for a very long time. Longevity is associated with good health and therefore, the crane also became a symbol for wishes for health. The turtle on the other hand is associated with the earth and in many creation myths even holds it. And, there is one legend where a turtle carries the world mountain.

In Japan, coming originally from China, the turtle is carrying the mountains where the immortals are living. While the cranes are used by the immortals to fly from summit to summit, and now are generally associated with heaven.

Picture left: Horai Mountain with turtle and cranes, 平井顕斎 Hirai Kensai, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Another association with cranes and turtles, maybe deriving from this tale of the immortals, is that of a crane having the personality of a hermit and the turtle being calm like a rock.

When cranes and turtles are implemented in a garden, it is always in the hope for longevity and/or health.

Creating a crane or turtle island is quite easy. It can even be done by simply transforming a nakashima into one.

View our eBook about Stone Arrangements, including islands!

Stone Arrangement in the Japanese garden

A lying rock symbolizes a turtle and a standing rock or tree a crane. You will often find islands or rocksettings, that are completely looking like a turtle with a head, four legs, and a tail. The crane, however, often is more difficult to recognize. Sometimes you only have one standing rock symbolizing the neck and head. Sometimes, though, you have two big standing rocks to express the wings similar to a folded origami crane.

When there is only a turtle island in a garden, be aware that even a closeby standing tree can symbolize the crane!

In Konchi-in, the garden expresses an idea of perpetuation of one’s descendants through the combination of Yin & Yang for eternal prosperity. The crane stands here for Yang, and the turtle for Yin.

Between the crane and the turtle island is a huge flat stone placed at the border between the gravel area and the rock settings. It is almost the size of five tatami and is a worshipping rock. Behind the high trees in the background is a Toshogu. A shrine for worshipping Tokugawa Ieyasu. It is said that once, the shrine was visible and the rock actively used. Beyond the worshipping rock is another small rock setting, including one single lantern.

This article was first published with extra-information on Patreon.com

Here is a list of literature I used for this article:

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