Bringing nature indoors: the charm of the "Tsuboniwa"

A "tsuboniwa" 坪庭 is a small garden that can be viewed from within the house, or as in the case of the photo in this post, from within a cafe! They are the courtyard gardens you can see frequently in Japan. But they were specifically designed to bring light, air and a sense of nature into the home.

Despite their compact size — often just a few square meters — tsuboniwa are carefully composed. They typically feature elements like moss, stepping stones, lanterns, bamboo, or a single sculptural plant. I believe they started in narrow spaces between rooms in 'machiya' townhouses in Kyoto, to allow residents to enjoy a sense of nature even in urban environments. Today, you can find them in modern homes, restaurants, spas, ryokan and even shops. 

February 8th annually is dedicated to these beautiful, quintessential Japanese spaces. Called Tsuboniwa Garden Day (坪庭の日).  The date 2/8 of the anniversary comes from the reading "ni(2) ‑wa (8),”  meaning garden. The tsubo of tsuboniwa refers to its size. A tsubo is a traditional Japanese unit of area equaling about 3.3 square meters, or roughly the size of two tatami mats.