Japanese Garden at the Washington Park Aboretum

Japanese Garden at the Washington Park Aboretum April 2010

Japanese Garden at the Washington Park Aboretum April 2010

Japanese Garden at the Washington Park Aboretum April 2010

Japanese Garden at the Washington Park Aboretum April 2010

Japanese Garden at the Washington Park Aboretum April 2010

Japanese Garden at the Washington Park Aboretum February 2010

The best known Japanese Garden in the Seattle area is at the Washington Park Aboretum.  In 2010 the Japanese Garden celebrated its 50th anniversary.  The garden was designed & constructed under the supervision of Japanese garden designer Juki Iida in 1960.  It is a beautiful garden with a magnificent pond fed naturally by the creek that flows through the Washington Park Aboretum.  Whether it is better than the 2 other very good Japanese gardens in the Seattle area, Kubota Garden in the Rainier Beach neighborhood of Seattle & the Yao Japanese Garden at the Bellevue Botanical Garden, is a matter of opinion.  It is certainly more formal & manicured.  Parts of Kubota Garden are much older, but went through a long period of neglect.  The Yao Japanese Garden is newer, but developing very nicely.  If you are a local, you have no excuse not to see all 3.  If you are a tourist, the Japanese Garden at the Washington Park Aboretum is well worth a visit.  It is easily reached by from downtown via the 11 Madison Park bus.  The garden is a short walk from the Washington Park Aboretum bus stop.