Hidden Gem: Japanese Gardens

Hidden away in Hermann Park lies a tranquil place, great for getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Created by world-renowned Japanese Landscape artist, Ken Nakajima, the Japanese Gardens were built to symbolize the friendship between Japan and the United States. There is also a flourishing Japanese community in Houston.

The City of Houston donated 5 acres of land for the gardens, and was created with help from American and Japanese businesses as well as grants from many foundations and individuals. The garden is designed in daimyo style, and includes a tea garden, a kaiyushiki stroll garden, and a scroll garden. Daimyo style is from postmodern Japan meaning “large”. The entrance of the garden is through a nagayamon, which is where a gate is passed through a section of a long warehouse or gatehouse.

The gatehouse then takes you to curving pathways that lead to the teahouse and to the pond within the gardens. The teahouse was built in Japan and reassembled by craftsmen here in Houston. The teahouse was a present from Japan and uses no nails to hold the structure together.

Many people miss this tranquil garden when visiting Houston, and many people living in Houston rarely visit it or even know it is there. So stop by this hidden gem in the midst of the city.

Photo credits: Lori Greig, Nieve44/La Luz, cortneymartin82, cortneymartin82

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1. Hermann Park

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