Indoor Japanese Water Features

Running water represents the endless ebb and flow of life in Japanese Buddhist traditions. It also parallels the infinite currents of being and emptiness of Zen. The water of a pond is a reflective surface offering a mirror into the self and a metaphor for the brief interruption of life in the endless motion of all things. The tradition of indoor Japanese water features, such as fountains and ponds, is closely linked to meditation, contemplation and the aesthetic of impermanence. Does this Spark an idea?

Indoor Fountains

Indoor Japanese fountains are a prominent water feature in traditional Japanese architectural design. Generally small objects, these fountains can be easily placed on tables, counters or the floor. Fountains use a combination of bamboo, or copper pipes designed to resemble bamboo, and basins to create flowing water and an ever-present trickling. Some of these fountains run on electricity, while others take advantage of the properties of gravity. Larger indoor fountains, such as Isamu Noguchi's Water Stone at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, are designed to occupy more space both in the home and consciousness.

Water Wall

A water wall is a genuine or false wall with water running down it. A type of fountain, water walls can be bought as self-contained units that can be set on the floor, hung on a wall, placed on a countertop or installed such that an operational wall of a building is converted into a fountain. Water runs down the surface of a water wall, collects in a pool, and is cycled through a system that allows it to fall down the wall once more. Water walls are common at Buddhist temples.

Indoor Koi Pond

An indoor koi pond is a Japanese water feature that brings a classic theme of Japanese art and culture, the carp, or koi, into the home. Indoor koi ponds are recommended for sunny households--it's exposure to the sun that gives koi their unique colors--with a pump system for filtering in fresh water. The movement of the carp will create the illusion of running water in a building with a koi pond.