Japanese Garden in Seattle, WA 98112

The Japanese Garden, located on the south side of the Washington Park Arboretum, has been named one of the top ten gardens outside of Japan by the Roth tei-en Japanese Garden Journal. Despite its location within the heavily used Arboretum, the garden is still something of a hidden treasure. Come here for a quiet walk through a space that reflects beauty in all seasons - blossoming cherry trees in spring, lush green in summer, flaming Japanese maples in autumn, and a revelation of the garden's great bones as winter approaches.

In spite of the garden's rule against loud talk and running on the grounds, it's a great place to come with kids; irresistible stepping stones draw children across slow-moving streams populated by water striders in the summer, and damp moss "lawns" invite little hands to touch. A large pond at the center of the garden is home to turtles and fat, jewel-like koi. Visitors can purchase koi food at the entry gate, and feed the critters from a bridge and decks on the pond. No human food is allowed on the grounds, but a grassy space by the parking lot holds picnic tables and plenty of room to run around.

Garden tours (included in the price of admission) are offered on Wed at 12n and on Sat and Sun 12n and 1pm. Tours are also available by appointment, with two weeks notice.

Chado (The Way of Tea) demonstrations are offered periodically in the traditional teahouse. Go to www.urasenkeseattle.org for a current schedule.

Look for a variety of family-friendly programs throughout the year (music, storytelling, crafts), some of which coincide with Japanese holidays. See our calendar for details.