Hi garde berry

Kumade is the word. kuma = bear, de= hand . kumade is leaf rake or hard rake. ( in kanji )
To make sand pattern in garden " sanon yo kumade.
sa= sand , mon= pattern , yo= for, kumade= rake.

I will send you copy of different designes of "samon yo kumade" for your reference by us mail.
if you want to have anything else send me e mail.
some day if I have chance to meet with you, I will show you how to make bamboo broom and other tools we/gardeners make our self.
perhaps I should make one for sale ... hehehe ....... mike

Thanks Mike!

You'll have the chance to meet me on Saturday - I think we have a "date" to meet in the lobby of the hotel before heading off for the conference.

Thanks for the information on the rake. We have in-house carpenters that make our rakes for us but I'm always getting asked "where can I buy one". I always say "make it yourself" but sometimes people just don't want to do it or don't know how. I want a bamboo broom, I just don't have any bamboo to make it from. If you can show me how, I'm sure I can find some bamboo around here somewhere....

Thanks again! GardenBerry

I am creating a Japanese Style Garden around our existing ponds and we are using a lot of crushed stone and would like to find the directions or a place to purchase the Japanese dry rake for my garden

Hello, I found your message thread while looking for a japanese rake. I have a japanese garden with gravel, koi pond and bamboo. I would like to ask if you would please share your details for making the gravel rake. Hopefully I will have all the material I need. I live near san francisco, and will share bamboo with you if you are close,

Thanks in advance,

Mike
nozzano22@yahoo.com

Looking to make the rake--Do you have a recommendation for the spacing and diameter of the tines? The gravel I have is about 1/4" diameter.

Thanks,

Ely

If you want a copy of my design for a rake, you need to send me your email address.

Otherwise, we used different sized dowel pegs, up to 1" diameter, spaced anywhere from 2" to 3" apart. It depends on the type of gravel you use, as well as the effect you are looking for. We have 2 different gardens and we use 2 different rakes to achieve different effects.

Also, pea gravel needs a deeper tine than washed grit, as the pebbles tend to roll back into the line you just drew. Grit, which is squarish bits of granite, holds up much better. I've had gardens with both pea gravel and with grit and I prefer the grit. The raking pattern also lasts longer - pea gravel tends to wash back into the pattern if it rains.

Hi all.
I am going to write how to make sand rake and other usefull hints of Jpanese gardening for jgarden org's Japanese garden forum. Garden web don't give any credit to wrietr and any posting on GW belong to GW and it is not permanent. I don't want to spend my time to write where no one give me credit/recognize or not permanent place. Information(s) should be easly able to find when some need it. Since Jgarden org is non profit organization, jgarden org web site is the best place to keep informations.

Since it is not paid job, I write only I have time. To fill empty space of plants listing. shurb listing, bamboo listing and many other topics. I am expecting to spend few years to fill emputy space of Jgarden.org information section.
yama