Seattle Japanese Garden

The Seattle Japanese Garden is a 3.5-acre traditional Japanese stroll garden at 1075 Lake Washington Boulevard East, inside the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle, Washington. Designed in the 1960s by the Japanese landscape architect Juki Iida, it is considered one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in North America. A circular path leads visitors past a central pond stocked with koi, a waterfall, stone lanterns, a teahouse, carefully pruned pines and Japanese maples. Different views open at each turn, following the principle of shakkei, or borrowed scenery, and the garden changes character through the seasons. Azaleas and cherry blossom brighten spring, while the maples turn red and orange in mid-October. The teahouse hosts tea ceremonies on selected dates, which require advance booking and a separate fee. A visit takes about an hour, and the paths are mostly gravel, with some steps. The garden is open Tuesday to Sunday with seasonal hours, and it is closed on Mondays and for part of the winter. Admission costs roughly $10 to $12 (USD) for adults. Weekday mornings are quietest, while spring weekends and autumn weekends draw the largest crowds. Photographers favour the bridge over the pond, the lantern groupings and the reflection of maples in the water. Visitors are asked to speak quietly and to avoid tripods in busy periods. The garden is reached on King County Metro Route 11 or 48 to the Arboretum area, followed by a short walk, and many visitors combine it with a stroll along Azalea Way in the arboretum. Parking is limited near the entrance.