The courtyard garden, known as tsuboniwa in Japanese, is a classic feature of Kyoto’s traditional machiya, or townhouses. This type of smaller space, typical in Japan, require the designer to consider the minute details of each element and angle when selecting materials and determining their placement.

In daily life, such a garden would be viewed from a seated or kneeling pose, using large zabuton floor cushions on the woven tatami mats. The bamboo lattice and mud walls are covered with insect-repelling cedar bark, and the annual cycle of each chosen plant highlights seasonal weather changes – a microcosmic world contained within a small courtyard.