outside

The editorial note in this guidebook states that "The tourist library series aims at presenting concise, authoritative and unbiased information on various phases of Japanese culture, old and new."

This particular guidebook, one of a series published by the Japan Travel Bureau over several decades, invites the reader to explore the proud heritage of Japanese garden design. It reflects pride in the natural beauty of the islands, as well as the skill, sensitivity, and insight of the local gardeners.

Imagine a dazzling sunlit morning where you’ve chosen to escape from modern day technology and enjoy the beauty of nature. You come across an intriguing structure that you identify as a birds nest. However, without cell phone reception you are unable to scurry to Google for help, and you are unable to identify the species of bird that constructed the nest. Well, fear no more.