Bowlscape

For the 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT exhibition The Art of the RAMEN Bowl, we presented a garden installation titled Don-kei (Bowlscape) in the sunken courtyard. Based on the structure of Rōtei (In-Leaking Garden) shown in the previous exhibition Gomiunchi, the work was reconfigured to reflect a landscape of Japanese red pines (akamatsu), referencing regions known for producing ramen bowls.

Historically, mountains near villages were repeatedly harvested for firewood and charcoal. This intense use impoverished the soil and exposed the surface layer, creating conditions in which akamatsu (Japanese red pine) came to dominate, forming widespread secondary forests.  These forests supported ceramic production until the shift to fossil fuels. As harvesting ceased, ecological succession progressed, and such landscapes have since become less common. The name Don-kei pays homage to that scenery, while also playfully rhyming with Rōtei by sharing the same vowel structure.

In Japanese garden culture, naming a garden has traditionally been a way of forging a relationship with its landscape, especially in daimyo gardens (residences of feudal lords) and tea gardens. Though this practice has become rare, the exhibition gave us an opportunity to revive it. Perhaps garden makers of the past, too, chose names with a touch of playfulness.