Portland Japanese Garden

The garden opened in 1967 on the site of the old city zoo, designed by Takuma Tono, and covers about five hectares in five distinct styles - a strolling pond garden, a tea garden, a natural garden, a sand and stone garden and a flat garden. Nobuo Matsunaga, Japan's ambassador to the United States, called it the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden outside Japan, and the phrase has followed it since. Kengo Kuma designed a cultural village expansion that opened in 2017, adding a courtyard with a gallery, a café, a shop and classrooms. On clear days Mount Hood appears framed above the flat garden. The maples in the strolling garden are the reason November is crowded.

The main sights

• Five distinct garden styles - across about five hectares.
• Kuma's 2017 cultural village - gallery, café and classrooms.
• Mount Hood framed above the flat garden - on clear days only.
• Maples in November - the peak of the visiting year.

When to go

April to November; maples peak in early November. Two to three hours.

Before you go

Tickets are timed and sell out in autumn. Mount Hood is hidden most days by Portland's cloud. Paths are gravel and stepped throughout. It is small for the price if you rush it.

Nearby

The International Rose Test Garden is adjacent; downtown Portland is east.

Key facts