JAPANESE GARDEN

Washington Park Arboretum

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Photos by Mary Nagan

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HOURS

Feb 18 - Mar 21 - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mar 22 - May 2 - 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
May 3 - Aug 15 - 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Aug 16 - Sep 19 - 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sep 20 - Oct 17 - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Oct 18 - Oct 31 - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nov 1 - Nov 15 - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

* Garden closing times are subject to weather, available light, and impacts of daylight savings time.

* Admission rates and Garden activities vary according with our events schedule.

ABOUT THE GARDEN

Located within the Washington Park Arboretum,this is a 3 1/2 acre formal garden designed and constructed under the supervision of world-renowned Japanese garden designer Juki Iida in 1960.

ADMISSION

Adults 18-64: $5
Youths 6–17, Senior Adults 65+, College students with ID, & Disabled: $3
Children 0-5: FREE
» membership, tour & school fees

Admission restrictions: In order to preserve the unique nature of this garden, and ensure access for all, we do not allow picnicking, weddings, tripods, or pets.

Public Tours: We offer free tours with regular garden admission April through October on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Additionally, we offer Monday tours at 12:30 p.m. May through August.

Tours are led by Arboretum Unit 86 Docents and provide an educational introduction to the culture and history of the garden. The content of these tours varies according to expertise of the guide, the interest, and size of the group.

Private and School Group Tours: Available upon request with advance notice and payment of guide reservation fee. Contact the ticket booth for details.

Photo sessions in the Garden

Sessions are held Mondays before the garden opens from 8-10 a.m. The limit is 10 Photographers. This is the only time tripods are allowed in the garden. $30. Advance registration required.

Spring Photo Sessions:

Apr 21 from 8 - 10 a.m.
Apr 28 from 8 - 10 a.m.
May 5 from 8 - 10 a.m.
May 12 from 8 - 10 a.m.

Autumn Photo Sessions:

Oct 6 from 8 - 10 a.m.
Oct 13 from 8 - 10 a.m.
Oct 20 from 8 - 10 a.m.
Oct 27 from 8 - 10 a.m.

Ceremony Information

Seattle Parks and Recreation has a number of sites that serve as excellent ceremony venues. For more information, please go to our Ceremony Guide.

We regret that the Seattle Japanese Garden can not accommodate private rentals of any kind, nor can it allow wedding photography during operating hours.

We extend our thanks to all who have flattered us with your requests to include our garden site as an integral feature of your family events.

Associated Recreation Council

The Associated Recreation Council enriches the Seattle Japanese Garden by providing recreation and lifelong learning programs, classes, and events for all ages.

The Japanese Garden Advisory Council is a group of community members who meet once a month to advocate for the success of programs within the garden while providing a connection between the community, the Associated Recreation Council (ARC) and Seattle Parks and Recreation. The advisory council currently meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 4:30 PM in the Montlake Community Center.

The Advisory Council is currently looking for new members interested in a long-term commitment to the community. Advisory council members serve up to a three year term and are eligible to renew the term indefinitely. If you would like to get involved, please contact our staff at (206) 233-7133, or pick up an Advisory Council Volunteer Packet and determine if this is the right opportunity for you.

Volunteering

Docent training will resume in 2009. For more information email gardensignup@gmail.com.

Head gardener, Kathleen Blanchard (Kathleen.Blanchard@Seattle.gov), welcomes volunteers to help with maintenance of the garden.

ACCESSIBILITY

The stone bridges, stepping stones, and rough terrain necessary to preserve the authenticity of the Japanese landscaping render some areas inaccessible to visitors with physical limitations. Pathways in the garden are surfaced with gravel which may result in some inconvenience for wheelchair and walker users. The garden does have some ADA access paths.

LINKS

• The Urasenke Foundation
• Washington Park Arboretum
• Duo En
• Associated Recreation Council