Opened by Her Majesty The Queen in 2010, the Japanese Garden offers visitors a moment for contemplation and a space for physical, temporal and spiritual transition.
The Japanese Garden links the 11th century Cathedral buildings with the 21st century Hostry Visitor & Education Centre, and features three boulders as its focal point. These can be interpreted as a Buddhist triad or perhaps the Christian Trinity, given the situation of the Garden. The remaining stones are arranged as if they are all pointing to, or leading to, or perhaps being drawn towards, the triad.
Designed by Graham Hardman of the Japanese Garden Society, the Japanese Garden contains specifically selected stones from glacial borders of north Scotland, 6mm silver-grey granite gravel, sawn grey sandstone and polished black pebbles.
The Garden was generously funded by the Salisbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures.