Shinsen Teisakuden (新撰庭作傳), “New Treatise on Garden Design”, is an Edo-period woodblock-printed architectural guide devoted to the refined art of Japanese landscape and garden creation.
This beautifully illustrated manual presents detailed diagrams of classical gardens, showcasing ponds, bridges, lanterns, walkways, and teahouse layouts, along with accompanying textual explanations in classical Japanese.
Originally published in the mid-19th century, Shinsen Teisakuden reflects the height of Edo aesthetic philosophy — harmony between nature and human design — rooted in Zen, wabi-sabi, and shinden-zukuri principles.
The meticulous engravings demonstrate the spatial elegance of famous Kyoto gardens such as temple courtyards and aristocratic estates, serving as both an artistic reference and a technical blueprint for Edo craftsmen and gardeners.
Bound in the traditional fukuro-toji (Japanese side-stitch) style with a green embossed cover and printed title slip, this edition is a striking artifact of Japanese design culture and a valuable reference for collectors, historians, and architects.
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Title: 新撰庭作傳 (Shinsen Teisakuden, “New Treatise on Garden Design”)
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Author: 山水舎 芳緑 (Sansuisha Hōryoku)
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Illustrator: 石組 八重重 (Sekigumi Yaeshige)
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Period: Late Edo Period (circa 1840s–1860s)
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Technique: Woodblock print on handmade washi paper
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Binding: Fukuro-toji (side-stitched binding)
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Cover: Green textured paper with printed title label
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Language: Classical Japanese
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Origin: Japan
Shinsen Teisakuden belongs to Japan’s tradition of technical art manuals (工芸書, kōgeisho), bridging fine art and practical design.
It exemplifies Edo Japan’s fascination with controlled natural beauty, where rocks, moss, and water symbolized moral and spiritual harmony.
Such manuals informed later Meiji-era garden construction, and their influence can still be seen in modern Japanese garden design worldwide.
