I have lived in the twin cities metro area for over 40 years. this is the first time I have ever seen the the Normandale Japanese Garden. Its a peaceful and tranquil location. There is no charge to get in. There are cute little bridges and nice overlooks for the little lake or pond. Its a great location to take family or senior photos.

Place is serene.Nice place to get some wedding or senior pictures.

Absolutely beautiful. My best friend was married here. The staff was great. They kept the public off the grounds. Many people come to take photos so it can sometimes be a bit crowded.

What a gorgeous place to visit. Kind of tucked away behind the college but they do a great job of making it beautiful. Love going there and walking around.

Peaceful, well cared for, and (thankfully) open to the public. The koi are huge and are so fun to watch. They dont allow drinks or food so just remember to keep those in the car.

Beautiful small Japanese garden nestled behind Normandale Community College. Garden is small but beautiful. Great for a quick afternoon walk through. It is definitely worth the visit.One thing tho, the koi were very lethargic. Could be due to weather heat or water quality. Hopefully someone tends to them soon. They should be super actively swimming, not gulping air and very slow swimming.

Love this place! Great for photographers. Just me respectful and give each other space.

This is very well maintained and it is pretty. It is much smaller than I expected, and I didnt see anywhere to sit in the gardens. I was walked through in under 5 minutes so thats why I rated it 4 stars.

The Japanese garden was Beautiful! We went in late June and there isn’t a view of the Japanese garden that isn’t a breathtaking photo op. I would highly recommend going – the nicely paved very well-maintained trails and steps afford anyone of any level of ability an excellent way to get around. There is no mud and the waterfall and beautiful Koi fish are everywhere! This is a neat Bloomington treasure!

Good for a quick evening tour. Would have been better if little more maintenance was done.

Its small but very beautiful

Lovely place.. Good for photo shoot.

Very cool garden, weve been meaning to check it out for a while and just got around to it. Definitely recommend coming to check it out! Gorgeous place!

Not bad for a college garden. We visited in the middle of winter and everything was covered in snow but it still was a beautiful garden to come see. Its certainly a hidden gem.

Quiet and well designed. Was a nice relaxing stop during an otherwise busy trip

It’s so beautiful. Great for pictures! I love the scenery and peacefulness you experience here. It’s a bit of a walk away from the parking lot, but not a big deal.

Nice and peaceful on Sunday afternoon. During covid 19 Pandemic wasnt crowded and people wandered safely spread out.

This is such a tranquil, cozy garden that should be added to your must see list when youre in the area. The garden is free of charge, although donations are appreciated. Id recommend bringing some quarters for the fish food so you can feed the koi fish.Im so glad we stopped. It was a relaxing yet energizing way to start our day.

A quick experience for our family today, but a wonderful place to visit! First thing you see when you walk in is that beautiful black and red combination. I should have taken more pictures! Walking through there are really neat trees and other green natures. The walking path goes around the parameter and also cuts through the middle which goes over a really neat bridge. Walking across the bridge youll see below in the water some very large koi fish. We grabbed some of the fish food to feed them for a bit. Fun to see the fish eat. Lastly, theres a neat, small waterfall to the side. Really amazing area.

Great spot for taking your kids out. Its peaceful and meditating.

Very peaceful, lovely place to stroll and collect your thoughts. A tribute to collaboration and shared culture.

Came here for the first time in Winter and it was beautiful. Will come back in Spring when everything is in full bloom and I am certain it will be much more lively.

Highly recommended. A bit of peace and tranquility. Beautifully designed and maintained.

The garden is really small and can be covered in 10 minutes but the trees are well maintained. The water however within the park is extremely muddy and dirty. Koi fish are barely visible because of the same. Overall it’s worth a visit.

This place is so beautiful. Go see it!!

Beautiful!!! I felt so relaxed being there but at the same time there was people not following the rules and being disrespectful of the garden so that was frustrating but overall it was a serene place to be. A lot of people doing photo shoots. A little crowded for my personal taste so I most likely would go later in the afternoon on a weekday versus the weekend.

Finding this Japanese garden was a jewel! The specific shaping of the shrubs and trees brought the entire garden together with a meditative theme.

Relaxing beautiful place! I loved seeing the Koi in the pond, and the well kept plantings.

The Japanese garden is a Zen Oasis in the midst of the metro. A wonderful escape and a tranquil repose.

Beautiful park very well manicured. Very large koi pond, with a wide range of visiting birds year round. Bridges, waterfall Asian highlights without feeling crowded or gaudy.

Pretty, smaller than expected but beautiful all the same.

Current undergoing a little renovation by the pond. Nothing intruding

Quiet, peaceful, well maintained. Grandkids love watching and counting the koi.

Peaceful, beautiful, quiet. If I was a student there again, that would be my go to place!

A lovely place in all seasons.

Wonderful, peaceful place to walk and enjoy the koi. Tranquil waters and serine statues. Just stop and enjoy. Take a deep breath and relax.

Small and super cute Japanese park.. Bring coins (quarters) for the fish food.. there is a beautiful pond with super big Koi fishes..

Wow. Such a beautiful hidden gem. After ustepping through the entrance, I felt a sense of calmness and tranquility. Great spot to leave your electronics in the car, I sure will next time I visit

Beautiful hidden gem of a garden - free and open to the public

Very beautiful, my family and I really enjoyed it.

The Japanese Gardens were really calming and beautiful. I really enjoyed my time there. I really loved feeding the koi in the pond.

This is such a beautiful place! Love taking pictures here! Too bad this time around it was crowded by a wedding and prom students so my kids and I didnt really get to enjoy the place much, but its a must see! We would go there yearly.

Beautiful and extremely thoughtful layout.

Awesome place, peaceful and beautiful.

Beautiful and very peaceful, especially when visited during lock down or on a weekday when there is no school.

It was beautiful. Tucked away behind Normandale College, its got a waterfall, koi pond, and fun walking paths. At the entrance, you can purchase some koi feed for 50 cents and we spent probably half an hour feeding the giant koi fish. Fellow pokemon hunters will find 2 gyms and a handful of stops. 10/10 Well be back!

Beautiful place for a quick and peaceful stroll.

Amazing scenery and quiet natural place.

I love the Japanese Garden is so peaceful and beautiful.

Beautiful little Japanese garden

Cool little spot to chill

Cute and peaceful. Donation based.

Beautiful and peaceful place

Small yet authentically gorgeous garden. Very well maintained. Bridges, a waterfall, koi...lots of visually pleasing things to enjoy here. Not that wheelchair accessible as there is a bit of a decline at the beginning, a narrow bridge later on the path and other branching paths that are only accessible by stairs.

I dont know another place like it. Its well kept and beautiful. I highly recommend checking it out.

This place is a hidden gem on the grounds of a Community College. We lucked out with beautiful late October weather and while the flowering plants were all out of season, the groomed trees and shrubs were spectacular.

This was a really cool surprise. We went because kids wanted prom pictures, and there were a lot of people there for the same reason. Nevertheless it was a calm and peaceful place, hidden on a Community College campus.

Boardwalk and Garden are a fun Surprise when literally looking to find something new off France!

Loved this place. Came upon it accidentally and it was the best part of the trip

Lovely place to walk and relax. It is relatively small.

Small but a very good place to visit.

Such a cute little place to visit at Normdale Community College. Definitely recommend. It was beautiful in the fall with all of the changing colors.

Great place to reflect and take photos

Good place for pictures

Beautiful and relaxing place for a stroll!

Interesting place, but kind of small. Great for Instagram pics.

Very pretty, tranquil spot in the city

Something cool to look at with a date.

Pretty cool little garden tucked in the city. Very peaceful.

Small garden, but really cute! I wish I could say the same about the pond, it was very dirty and one of the koi was floating belly side up, not healthy for the other fish. Other than that, great location for photos!

A wonderful hide away in the middle of Bloomington. The history of the designer is a great story too.

Urban Heavan.

Beautiful

This garden is a beautiful, peaceful place tucked away in a busy city. The college grounds it sits on was a joy to visit. We plan on coming back several times during our visit!

Looked amazing! Had a great time! I also got quite a couple nice things!

Love this hidden gem!

Just a quiet traditional Japanese garden with a waterfall and koi ponds. Located on the grounds of Normandale College, it has benches for sitting and a small shelter if you need to get out of the rain. Free will donations are encouraged to help with maintenance.

Pretty cool. Self-guided tour pamphlets are in the square shelter.

Great place for visit and this place is amazing!! We spend a great time here.

Very peaceful place to relax, and a great place for photography as well.

Beautiful place.

Unique and beautiful! There isnt a ton to do here but if you got an hour to spare it is definitely worth checking it out!

Lovely place, very well maintained. Koi are very large. Stop by to relax.

A very peaceful and relaxing place to find some tranquility in the suburbs. A great place to have a wedding. This place changes character as the seasons change so try visiting throughout the year. I love watching the huge Koi fish in the ponds. Lots of free parking outside of normal class hours. Many interesting community events going on at Normandale throughout the year too.

Its a nice small garden. I like the trees and plants there.

Well maintained little garden. Take quarters with you if you want to feed the koi. Fish food available at the gate.

Loved feeding the koiこい they have a dispenser it costs 50 cents for a bunch of pellets for the koi make sure you bring quarters

I think Japanese gardens just arent my thing. Its manicured to the point of being uncomfortable and not welcoming. Its beautiful, in a certain light. Seemed very popular with photographers. It is definitely handicap accessible, which is great. But if you are looking to see interested plants, Id go to the Como Conservatory or Arboretum.

Great place to spend a quick 10 minutes for a quick recharge, or an hour and a half for a full top up. Take some quarters along and feed the koi (dont try to feed them till you find them)

Beautiful landscaping and a very peaceful place to visit.

Love this garden. They have koi fish and you can feed them from food provided

The place is so peaceful! Love it! It is Beautiful!

You wouldnt think a community college would have so much hitlstory and beautiful artwork. Definitely a place to take the family, or start the date with some intellect lol. But hands down i love it.

This nice small garden looks great

So beautiful!!! I love going to this place. Great place for relaxing, reading, taking photographs, feeding the Koi fish, picnics, etc. My kids enjoyed it as well. I recommend checking it out if you havent already. Awesome!!!

Love this place! Took my wedding picture here.

Beautiful & peaceful

A gem of the suburbs. Hidden away behind Normandale College, this meticulously maintained garden will be a perfect locale for a destination stroll, some photos, or just a serene and beautiful place to relax. Feed some koi, walk below the willows, then stop on the bridge to take it all in. Free and open year round.

Small, but very pretty. Great photo spot.

Peaceful, well cared for. Went during a festival, will be back.