In the world of Japanese landscape gardening, whether as writers, apprentices or designers, women seem to be conspicuous by their absence.

Japanese Zen Gardens, by Yoko KawaguchiPhotographs by Alex Ramsay208 pagesFRANCES LINCOLN

There are, however, a small number of notable exceptions. Among these, we might include Sunniva Harte, author of the beautifully illustrated “Zen Gardening” (1999), and Mira Locher, an architect and keen observer of Japanese landscaping, whose recent book, “Zen Garden Design” (2020), examines the work of eminent designer Shunmyo Masuno. Loraine E. Kuck, whose writings go back as early as the 1930s, remains a potent force in the analysis and dissemination of knowledge regarding the Japanese garden. Her book, “The Art of Japanese Gardens” (1940), is an enduring classic.