Nakane Garden Research & Landscape Consultant Co.

Nakane Garden Research & Landscape Consultant Co. (中根庭園研究所) is a Japanese landscape architecture and garden design firm headquartered in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto. It was founded in 1966 by Kinsaku Nakane (1917–1995), a garden designer who had worked for the Kyoto Prefectural Cultural Properties Protection Division after World War II, directing the restoration of historic gardens such as Tenryu-ji, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji. The firm describes its work as combining research, design and construction supervision under a single philosophy of creating spaces that endure beyond their time. The company's portfolio spans cultural property garden restoration, contemporary landscape creation, and international projects. Notable works include the garden for the Adachi Museum of Art in Shimane Prefecture (a long-term collaboration since the museum's founding, with its garden repeatedly ranked first in world garden rankings), the Japanese garden at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (1988), the Japanese garden at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta (1986), the Seiryu-en garden at Nijo Castle in Kyoto (1964), the Shinsho-ji Zen Museum and Gardens in Hiroshima Prefecture (2014), and the Rokkai-en Japanese garden at Mriya Resort & Spa in Yalta, Crimea (2018). The firm has also worked on the Jurong Town Japanese Garden in Singapore and landscape design for overseas smart city urban planning projects. After Kinsaku Nakane's death in 1995, Shiro Nakane became the second president. The firm remains privately held and continues to operate from Kyoto, undertaking garden restoration, design and construction supervision in Japan and internationally. Its stated philosophy is to create 'new classics' by respecting the past, observing the present and imagining the future.

The history of Nakane Garden Research & Landscape Consultant Co. is closely tied to its founder, Kinsaku Nakane (1917–1995). In 1943, Nakane joined the Kyoto Prefectural Cultural Properties Protection Division, where he was involved in the restoration of historic gardens that had fallen into disrepair after World War II. He worked on the preservation and repair of famous gardens including Tenryu-ji, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji. In 1965 he left the division, and in 1966 he founded Nakane Garden Research Institute in Kyoto. The firm participated in the design of a Japanese garden for a world exposition and, from the 1970s onward, expanded its activities to include both the restoration of cultural property gardens and the creation of contemporary gardens, undertaking numerous restoration projects at World Heritage and scenic gardens. Among its long-term projects, the firm has collaborated with the Adachi Museum of Art in Shimane Prefecture since its founding, and the museum's garden has been ranked first in world garden rankings for more than 20 years. The firm also created the Jurong Town Japanese Garden in Singapore, one of the largest Japanese gardens outside Japan, embodying Japanese culture in a tropical country. In 1989 the office moved from Shimakamo in Sakyo Ward to its current location in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto. In 1995 founder Kinsaku Nakane passed away and was posthumously awarded the Junior Fifth Rank and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class. Shiro Nakane became the second president. From 2000 onward the firm participated in numerous international projects blending Eastern and Western approaches, including the Rokkai-en garden at Mriya Resort & Spa in Crimea, the Shinsho-ji Zen Museum and Gardens in Hiroshima, and the restoration of the East Garden at Sanjusangen-do in Kyoto by Nakane's grandsons Yukihiro and Naoki. The firm has also been involved in landscape design, planning and construction management for overseas smart city urban planning projects. Its philosophy, inherited from the founder, is that 'gardening is painting a picture in space,' and it continues to aim at creating 'new classics.'

• 2018

  Japanese garden 'Rokkai-en' at Mriya Resort & Spa in Yalta, Crimea, is designed and construction supervised (area 5.2 hectares).

• 2014

  Shinsho-ji Zen Museum and Gardens 'Shoshin-tei' in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is created.

• 2003

  Basic plan and design for 'Wareth Gardens' Japanese garden in Ukraine (area 3.5 hectares).

• 1995

  Founder Kinsaku Nakane passes away; Shiro Nakane becomes the second president.

• 1989

  Office moves from Shimakamo, Sakyo Ward to the current location in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto.

• 1988

  Japanese garden 'Tenshin-en' at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is designed and supervised.

• 1986

  Japanese garden at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, is designed, constructed and supervised (area 1,653 m²).

• 1972

  Garden for the Adachi Museum of Art in Shimane Prefecture is designed and constructed (old building garden approx. 500 tsubo, new building garden approx. 1,500 tsubo).

• 1966

  Nakane Garden Research Institute is founded in Kyoto.

• 1965

  Kinsaku Nakane leaves the Kyoto Prefectural Cultural Properties Protection Division.

• 1964

  Garden at Nijo Castle Seiryu-en in Kyoto is created (area 6,612 m²).

• 1943

  Kinsaku Nakane joins the Kyoto Prefectural Cultural Properties Protection Division and works on restoring historic gardens after WWII.

Premium Japanese garden design and cultural landscape restoration firm, blending traditional techniques with contemporary and international projects.

• Adachi Museum of Art garden

  Long-term collaboration since the museum's founding; garden ranked first in world garden rankings for over 20 years.

• Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Japanese garden 'Tenshin-en'

  Designed and supervised in 1988.

• Jimmy Carter Presidential Center Japanese garden

  Designed, constructed and supervised in 1986; area 1,653 m².

• Nijo Castle Seiryu-en garden

  Created in 1964; area 6,612 m²; located at World Heritage Site Nijo Castle.

• Shinsho-ji Zen Museum and Gardens 'Shoshin-tei'

  Created in 2014; features a heart-shaped pond representing Buddhist cosmology.

• Mriya Resort & Spa Japanese garden 'Rokkai-en'

  Designed and construction supervised in 2018; area 5.2 hectares; located in Yalta, Crimea.

• Jurong Town Japanese Garden, Singapore

  One of the largest Japanese gardens outside Japan, embodying Japanese culture in a tropical country.

• Sanjusangen-do East Garden restoration

  Restored by Yukihiro and Naoki Nakane, grandsons of Kinsaku Nakane.

1. 1中根庭園研究所nakane-garden.co.jp
2. 2HISTORY – 中根庭園研究所nakane-garden.co.jp
3. 3ABOUT – 中根庭園研究所nakane-garden.co.jp
4. 4Nakane Garden Research & Landscape Consultant Co. - Wikidatawikidata.org