The Samurai's Garden By Gail Tsukiyama

Throughout life many are faced with obstacles that are difficult to overcome. These obstacles can change a person and their life as shown in The Samurai’s Garden, by Gail Tsukiyama. In the novel Matsu and Sachi go through life on a difficult path before finding happiness. When looking at Matsu’s and Sachi’s gardens, one can see that they are a representation of their lives, which is important because the gardens represent their personalities and struggles in their lives.
Matsu’s, the heroic samurai, garden highlights his personality and the struggles he faced throughout his past. Matsu lives a very private life because of these struggles. With the arrival of Stephen, Matsu is forced to be extroverted rather than his usual introverted self.

However, it took time to break the awkward tension hovering over Matsu and Stephen; therefore, Stephen is left to explore the house on his own. Stephen finds an interest in Matsu’s garden and the message being hidden within it. For example, he discovers the beauty in every detail and aspect in what Matsu has created, and with it makes connections to Matsu’s past.

Matsu may be reserved, but through these connections Stephen finds that “Matsu’s garden whispers at you, never shouts; it leads you down a path hoping for more, as if everything is seen, yet hidden”(31). Although Matsu keeps his past secretive, he leaves parts of it spread throughout his garden, which link together and tell his story. Throughout the novel there is emphasis of the strength of the samurai because of Matsu’s ability to overcome struggle. For instance, Matsu explains to Stephen that a samurai has a difficult path before reaching his afterlife which can be represented by a bridge. Matsu explains that after the long, rigorous path “when you reach the top of the bridge, you can see your way to paradise” (58). This symbolic bridge holds an important place in Matsu’s garden and is the main symbol of his difficulties. Partnered with the aspect of struggle, the representation of Matsu’s personality peeks through his garden. Not only has Matsu concealed his struggle within his garden, but his true personality is revealed through the garden’s beauty. For example, Matsu gives his garden a

sophisticated beauty through greenery and flowers. Stephen describes that “there’s a quiet beauty here I only hope I can capture on canvas”(31). With Stephen’s description of the garden as quiet beauty, it can be seen that Matsu possesses reserved personality. Beauty spreads all throughout the garden which in turn gives a greater understanding of Matsu’s personality. For instance, the trees and flowers create beautiful shapes which leaves one with the wanting to come explore. When sitting in the garden Stephen describes that “even the stone lanterns, which dimly light the way at night, allow you to see only so much”(31). Every feature of the garden gives an insight of a slight glimpse of Matsu’s character. Essentially, Matsu’s garden expresses the beauty within his personality and strength to prevail life’s struggles.
Sachi, the broken leper, utilizes her garden to understand her past struggles and restore beauty in her personality.

Sachi creates a riveting garden with rocks which create numerous patterns which leaves one wondering what the story behind it is. For example, Stephen is left in awe when first viewing the garden because there had been no greenery whatsoever. After taking in the view of the garden, Stephen explains that “Her garden was a mixture of beauty and sadness”(43). Due to the lack of greenery the aspect of sadness, representing her struggle, was obvious; however, the beauty was discovered through time. Sachi’s scars were a constant reminder of her struggle of leprosy; therefore, she did not want anything else to act as another mental note. For instance, Sachi makes sure Matsu does not put any flowers in her garden. Sachi explains that “I needed my life to be simple without any beauty to remind me of all I had lost”(150). Sachi believes that her struggle took all beauty away from her, but later finds that beauty can be found even in the most unexpected places. This desire for no beauty in her garden and a simple life acts as a representation of Sachi’s personality. During one of Stephen’s occasional visits Sachi teaches him that nothing is ever ruined. For example, when Stephen is hesitant to touch Sachi’s garden Sachi explains to Stephen that rocks cannot be ruined. Sachi goes one to describe that “you can only rearrange them, and who knows if it won’t be for the

better”(77). With this lesson that nothing can be ruined and beauty can found in all places, Sachi begins to restore beauty into her own personality. Therefore, she gains a more open and forgiving, of herself and the disease, personality. With Sachi’s teaching of beauty, Stephen as well as herself learn to appreciate all things for their true beauty. For instance, Stephen realizes the hidden beauty within Sachi’s garden when watching as the sun moves across its rocks. As Stephen gazes upon the rocks, he views the new unlocked pieces of beauty, “...knowing that in a few months the sun would shift its position and again the garden would appear different” (125). Once something is put into a different perspective beauty can be unlocked. This is the case for Sachi; in fact with this concept Sachi reinstates a new refound beauty to her personality. All in all, Sachi’s garden gave her the opportunity to grow and move forward to reach true contentment.
Although both Matsu’s and Sachi’s gardens have a message hidden within them , the gardens are different in the way that Matsu’s garden expresses his struggles and personality and Sachi’s garden helps her find beauty in her personalities and cope with the difficulties of the past. The bridge in Matsu’s garden symbolizes the struggle of losing his sister, comforting Sachi, and building Yamaguchi for Tarumi’s lepers. Whereas the rocks in Sachi’s garden, help her realize that she can move past even with this life-changing struggle in her past. Through Stephen’s description of Matu’s garden as silently beauty one can see that Matsu has a beautifully reserved and humble personality. Meanwhile, with the concept that rocks cannot be ruined but changed for the better, and the concept that when put into perspective all things have beauty, Sachi restore beauty into her personality as well as gains a beautiful refined personality. In conclusion, both Matsu’s and Sachi’s gardens represent their past struggles and personality; however, in slightly different ways.
Matsu’s and Sachi’s gardens represent their lives through the portrayal of life’s struggles and their personalities. Matsu as well as Sachi changed with the help of their gardens, and they grew stronger and happier. Once individuals have undergone the obstacles presented in life as well as the growth, which comes with it, they can also reach happiness just as Matsu and Sachi.