Seattle Japanese Garden

👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽 This is one of the most beautiful gardens in Seattle. And it’s as beautiful as a Japanese garden you’d find in Japan, IMHO. We went to Kanazawa, Japan in the Fall and this reminded me of their most famous garden albeit on a much smaller scale. It’s serene, well-maintained and beautifully manicured. A beautiful, quiet way to spend an afternoon. I also highly recommend attending one of the Japanese tea ceremonies they offer in the Spring - Fall. Totally worth it. It’s a short ceremony (40 min.) but it gives you just enough of the experience to get a taste of the artistry and discipline of it. You’re not allowed to take photos or videos during the ceremony as they want you to be fully present to enjoy it. But you’ll need to get tickets ASAP when sales open at the beginning of the previous month because they sell out fast. They only allow 10 people to attend per ceremony. To get alerts, you’ll need to sign up for their newsletter. Tickets for the tea ceremony are $15/person. Also, while you’ll be asked to sit on tatami mats, they do offer benches/stools for those who don’t want to or are unable to sit on a tatami mat.

We had an amazing free tour at 1pm and the guide helped us experience the garden as a set of paintings which we had the privilege to walk through and become a part of. It was so nice!

Went there during early November and loved it. So many beautiful colors, trees and water. It was quiet, relaxing and romantic, although there were many families with children. There was enough space for everybody. There might be a small queue of cars in the entrance to the parking lot, but there was enough space for everyone, although it was almost full. The entrance cost 10$ a person.

I always enjoy taking a walk in this beautiful urban sanctuary. It is beautiful year around but my favorite season to visit is autumn. Once inside, the park makes you to slowdown and be mindful. From the website: "This 3.5-acre garden features a style developed in the late-16th to early-17th centuries known as stroll gardens. Following a winding path around a central pond, stroll gardens invite visitors to journey through the varied landscapes of Japan – mountains, forests, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, islands and the sea. Along the journey, varied landscapes are hidden and then revealed."

This is a stunningly beautiful Park located in the arboretum of University of Washington. I visited during the fall so the colors were outstanding. The entrance was fair and the crowds were minimal. I highly recommend this to anyone.