Overlooking Portland like an ancient Japanese emperor’s castle, the Japanese Gardens offer five different gardens in it’s more than 5-acre space. Take a guided tour or wander through the garden on your own, enjoying the plants, ponds and views.

What to bring: The garden is located on Portland’s west hills so comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate attire are a must. Photography is allowed for personal use, but no tripods are allowed without permission. No smoking, pets, food or drinks or cell phones are allowed in the garden.

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Season: Open every day but Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Winter hours (October 1 - March 31): Monday: Noon to 4 p.m.; Tuesday - Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Last admission taken at 3:30 p.m.)
Summer hours (April 1 - September 30): Monday: Noon to 7 p.m.; Tuesday - Sunday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Last admission taken at 6:30 p.m.)

Getting there: From I-405 (downtown Portland) follow signs for Highway 26 West. Take Highway 26 West and take the Oregon Zoo and Forestry Center Exit. Bear right after the exit and follow signs for the Forestry Center. Continue up the hill past the Forestry Center and make a right onto Kingston Drive. There will be a wood sign for the Japanese Garden and Rose Garden just before the turn. Follow Kingston Drive just under two miles through Washington Park. At the stop sign make a left and just ahead you will see the Japanese Garden parking lot on the left, across the street from tennis courts.

Fees: Admission is $8.00 adult, $6.25 senior (ages 62 and over), $5.25 students (ages 6 through 17), $6.25 college students with ID and children 5 years old and younger are admitted free.

Tips: Give yourself plenty of time when visiting the gardens. Each garden is filled with unique plants, features and symbolism. A quick tour of the gardens takes about 45 minutes - but with a tour guide they can take more than an hour.

If you can, visit the garden more than once, as there is much to see. The garden is outdoors and has many uneven surfaces and wood bridges. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and weather appropriate clothing.

The garden is on a steep incline, so getting to it on foot takes a small walk up a switchback. People can take a shuttle up to the top, which runs about every 15 minutes from the parking lot - less frequent in the winter months. There is also handicap parking near the entrance at the top of the hill.

History: In 1958, Portland and Sapporo, Japan, became sister cities creating a broader interest in Japanese culture. Several business leaders and the mayor of Portland decided it would be appropriate for Portland to have an authentic, traditional Japanese garden.

On June 4, 1962, the Portland City Council adopted an ordinance to create a Japanese Garden Commission to establish a garden in the site of the former Washington Park Zoo. In 1963 Professor Takuma Tono, head of the Landscape Architecture Department of Tokyo Agricultural University, was commissioned to design and supervise the development of the garden. The garden was open to the public in the summer of 1967.