Q: How had Asakura's family lived?
I do not know how his family had lived. However, from this side, you can see a bed room, Asakura's private room and a living room. Although his clan still lived in his hometown, it became difficult for him to go back there because he was getting busier. Nevertheless, he missed and longed for Oita Prefecture where he was born and raised. He won the Order of Culture in his old age, and returned to Oita. At the occasion, some photographs were taken, in which his smiling face appears.
Q: Could you tell us about the garden as well as its structure and origin?
The garden located in this building was named "Goten-no Suitei," which Asakura made with utmost care. This garden is the "Shiho-zukuri" style, which is a cloister garth that can be seen from any direction. Four sides of the garden can be regarded as its front, or there is no front view. The garden has such a structure. Common Japanese gardens face one side of rooms, corridors and verandas. Beautiful views of the gardens can be seen from one direction as if they are set in frames. However, this garden is not supposed to be viewed from one direction, but can be seen from any direction. It can be said that this garden is related to his works. Sculptures are conceived and created after all sides of them are examined, so it is obvious that this garden was designed by a sculptor. The garden is also very tactile. Production of sculptures is a kind of work in which physical elements are strongly involved. For example, we are now sitting on the tatami mats, and looking at the garden. The view is brilliantly seen from our eye level. It is very clear view. When the garden is seen from the corridor, the view is also expansive because it is observed from the eye level while standing or walking. Also, when it is seen from an eye level of a person who is sitting on a chair placed on the wooden floor, it seems that it might have some kind of scheme. It is hard to imagine that the garden was made without a thought. It was created with utmost care. Nowadays, for example, in the field of CG, 3D objects are displayed and rotated on monitors. Human brains naturally see objects in that way.(continued in the right column)
Asakura taught his students that, when they create sculptures, they should not make drawings of models though sculptors commonly make sketches before creating sculptures. He said that, since human beings have an ability to perceive three-dimensionally, if his students make two-dimensional drawings of models, creative processes are interrupted, and that it is better to build up shapes with clay from the start. I think his keen sense of grasping 3D objects is embodied in this garden.
Q: How four seasons are represented as spatial recognition?
The four seasons are best represented by trees and flowers. He selected trees with white flowers, from Japanese apricots that bloom in January to sasanquas that bloom in December, and planted them in this garden. For example, deutzias, which are bushy trees, bloom bright white flowers all over the garden in May. He filled the garden with white flowers thinking that white represents purity. However, as it is often said that every tide has its ebb, he decided to plant one crape myrtle that blooms red flowers in summer. It is the reason why just one crape myrtle was planted. I think the appeal of white in nature is well expressed. This room was used as Asakura's private room. This "Funazoko Tenjo," or wooden ceiling shaped like a ship's bottom, is made of semipetrified Japanese cedars. While such a high-grade material is used, there is a utensil rack for tea-things. The rack was also created by him. Although the materials were not so luxurious, he made such a rack combining Chinese shelves and other materials. The frames of the shoji screens are handiworks, which were made by craftsmen. They were created with softened goma bamboos and square timbers inserted in the bamboos' hollow centers. Although this is his room, I think he created intriguing things by combining elaborate craftworks and daily commodities, such as duster's handles that were audaciously fixed on the shoji screens, which he conceived of in his daily life. A pottery wheel was placed here, so he used to take a seat around here. There is also a picture in which he looks at the pond in summer while leaning against this pillar.
Chinese shelves
Chinese shelves