Japanese Garden- Portland, OR - VirtualTourist.com

The Portland Japanese Garden is located on a hill overlooking the city, inside Washington Park near the Rose Garden (the actual Rose Garden, not the big concrete arena on the east side of the river). While much of the facility is in forest, the garen includes one of the famous photo locations in Portland, as for decades any time you would look up Portland, Oregon in the encyclopedia or other location the photo of the city would be of the Rose Garden overlooking the city, from a location near the Rose Garden. The most popular of those locations overlooking the Rose Garden is located inside the Japanese Garden.

As you can see in the first photo, the city view from here is today still very popular with photographers and tourists.

As much as possible, the garden is modeled after a true Japanese garden, and even Japanese visitors marvel at how authentic it is made. Portland's sister city in Japan has a bit of credit to take for that, as well.

Water features, including ponds, fountains, a Japanese bird chaser (water powered noise maker) and waterfalls are scattered through the garden. There is a house modeled after a Shinto temple which sometimes features special art shows and art sales. Near the house there is a Japanese style rock garden.

Photo 2 shows one of the ponds in the facility, and photo 5 shows people on one of the stone walkways watching the fish in the pond.

Watch your step!: many of the pathways are irregular genuite stone pathways, just as are found in Japan, and as such are not what the average American is used to having in such a public facility.

The management of the facility says "the Portland Japanese Garden requires the location credit "Portland Japanese Garden, Portland, OR" in all uses of Garden photos in print, on the web, in broadcast, and in any other public medium," and thus you will notice all of my photos carry this caption.

The gift shop features a number of "Japanese" type items, but unfortunately they are mostly Chinese made imitations.

NOTES: There is a $2 fee for tripods, and there is a strict photography policy (including no potrait photography - for details see their web site, below).

This part of Washington Park has a lot of popular attractions, including the Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden and several playgrounds, plus an outdoor theatre that occasionally sees concerts. If you are physically able to do so, I highly recommed taking TriMet bus route #63 up the hill. If it is a nice day, you will most likely not find any parking places anywhere near the Japanese Garden.

Unfortunately, bus route #63 only operates on a sporadic timetable now - it was cut back recently, and possibly will not be reinstated. There is talk of cutting the route completely. However, during the peak tourist season, there is also a "Washington Park Shutte" bus that operates from the Washington Park MAX station to the Rose Garden, and is as close as you will get to the Japanese Garden by public transit.

If you don't mind walking, you can walk from the Goose Hollow MAX station as well. Go up the hill on Jefferson Street (the street MAX runs on, and goes under the arch bridge). As the road starts to go around the curve to the left, enter Washington Park (continue going straight on a road that is now disused). You can then weave up the side of the hill on this old road. Follow the signs to the Rose Garden. Once in the Rose Garden, continue climbing to get to the Tennis Courts. From the Tennis Courts, cross the street and small parking area and the entrance road to the Japanese Garden is right there. As the garden is located on the ridge above the Rose Garden, there is a Japanese Garden shuttle van that operates on peak weekends to take visitors the extra way to the entrance, but if you are physically able to do so I suggest taking the pathway.

Japanese Garden, Portland

Portland Hotels

Japanese Garden, Portland

Visiting Portland?

Visiting Portland?

Portland Hotels