The 5.5 acre Japanese Garden is composed of five distinct garden styles.
When we enter a Japanese garden, the desired effect is to realize a sense of peace, harmony, and tranquility and to experience the feeling of being a part of nature.
In a deep sense, the Japanese garden is a living reflection of the long history and traditional culture of Japan.
Influenced by Shinto, Buddhist, and Taoist philosophies, there is always “something more” in these compositions of stone, water, and plants than meets the eye.
Three of the essential elements used to create a Japanese garden are stone, the “bones” of the landscape; water, the life-giving force; and plants, the tapestry of the four seasons.
Japanese garden designers feel that good stone composition is one of the most important elements in creating a well-designed garden.
Secondary elements include pagodas, stone lanterns, water basins, arbors, and bridges.
Japanese gardens are asymmetrical in design and reflect nature in idealized form.
Traditionally, human scale is maintained throughout a Japanese garden so that one always feels part of the environment, not overpowered by it. However, this garden incorporates some of the tall Douglas fir trees that were original to the site because the designer Professor Takuma Tono wanted to the Garden to blend naturally into the native environment.
A few notes of etiquette when visiting the Garden:
· In order to maintain a peaceful atmosphere within the Garden for all of our visitors, we ask that you please keep your voices low.
· We do not allow the usage of cellphones for anything other than photography within the Garden. We ask that visitors turn their phones off, or to silent, and refrain from talking on them or texting while inside the Garden walls.
· If any participants will be using tripods for their cameras, please be sure they are kept on the pathway at all times (please do not place on moss, grass, or other plant material for any reason), but also be sure that they do not block pathways so that other visitors may easily move around you. We will waive the normal $5 tripod fee for your group. For more on our photo policies, please visit this link: http://japanesegarden.com/join-and-support/photographers/
· Please stay on pathways (pavement, gravel, stepping stones, deck, etc.) at all times. Please do not step on grass, moss, or any other plant material.
· There is no eating or drinking allowed in the Garden. Please leave snacks behind. Smoking is not allowed within the Garden, or in the area outside the Gate. We have a smoking area available near staff parking if needed.
