This so far is my favorite place to have visited in Portland. The views here were incredible. Ive had a long standing love for Japanese culture. And this did not disappoint in any way. The experience was tranquil and peaceful. It takes near an hour or so to get through but you can take as much time as you like to enjoy and dish it so in. So if you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle, this is perfect.

I loved the beautifully laid out gardens... so tranquil and serene. Didn’t face any issues despite COVID-19. We just needed to have our masks on all the time. Definitely a must visit while in Portland.

What a beautiful and tranquil place to reflect & relax. Every single detail about these gardens have been carefully thought out, its truly stunning. Visit when you have time to experience it slowly and thoroughly, every boulder and patch of moss has been considered. It would seem to have something new to offer by visiting during different seasons as will. They also have priceless bonsai trees as well, some as old as 500 years. The customer service here is above and beyond. I dont recommend taking young children here, they can really take away from the tranquility and the zen gardens can easily be destroyed. The natural garden is not stroller friendly, but the rest is.

I very much enjoy Japanese gardens, and Portland Japanese Garden is astounding among them. The grounds are impeccably maintained, the trails are well-kept, and the variety of spaces and gardens impressive for a small space. From the variety we saw, I imagine it is beautiful in any season, but this being my first visit in the autumn was exquisite. Truly beautiful for the eyes, mind, and spirit. Worth well more than the small entry fee.

This is a must-visit place if youre in Portland and you like gardens. Its so...green. I loved visiting this place and enjoying the ambiance. It would be an ideal site to take engagement pics or something like that.

We live in Washington, but visit the Portland Japanese Gardens at least three times a year. Weve been to similar gardens around the country, but none compare to the Portland location. Year round you wont be disappointed, but fall is our favorite time to visit. For photographers, this is the garden to visit in the fall and the famous maple does get a lot of visits from photographers from all around the world. Even famous photographer Peter Lick has snapped up shots of the notorious maple. The are has been newly renovated as well and the changes and improvements were much needed. Parking can be a challenge on busy days so make sure to get there early.

Beautiful, peaceful garden. Reasonably good social distancing protocols in place. Reserve a spot online to save yourself from waiting in line for tickets.

It is the place one should visit in Fall. Fall colors in Japanese garden are out of the world BONSAI trees and their color is a worth experiencing event.The blossom of maple tree is an event enjoyed by photographers all over the world at this garden. Apart from Fall colors ,over all garden is really good. landscape design and Japanese architecture is amazing. Do look at their website for their exhibitions. They showcase some of the best art exhibition in Portland Oregon. Parking is available along with street parking.Bus service is also there. It definitely a jewel of Washington Park.

Absolutely gorgeous place. Its a must see if you visiting Portland. Especially in fall. The combination of red, orange, yellow, green and other colors is simply amazing. Well worth waiting in the line at the entrance.

Serene place to immerse into the nature of greens. Theres an entrance fee here. The place is well maintained, worth to spend some quiet time surrounded by nature.

Beautiful but the price of the ticket(could not remember exactly the number but around 20 bucks for a single person and it just takes you about an hour to go through all the sites in the park)is a little bit too high compared with the size of the park, not to say some sections were closed then.BTW, parking fee not included and there won’t be enough parking lot during the weekend I guess.

Well maintained garden. Giving only 2 stars since the ticket for $19 per person was not worth it at all!!! Too much to ask for such a small garden. Was able to see the entire place in just 35-40 mins (did not visit the gift shop). Totally not worth it.

Beautiful grounds, extremely tranquil. Could easily spend hours lost in thought and relax in nature. Having said that, the grounds aren’t that extensive, but I think it’s more about taking your time and enjoying the gorgeous space. I felt the entrance fee ($19) was a tad high.

What a beautiful place. Such a lovely and easy hike through the gardens. So many wonderful things to see. Felt so peaceful.

Beautiful serene gardens, wonderful place to visit. Super organized, bought tickets online, plenty of parking and time limit entrance. Highly recommend a visit

I have been to Japan, and I can vouch for this gardens authenticity. This is a beautiful place to wander, sit, and take a breather. So many different areas to explore. I only wished the tea house replica actually served tea. It would have been so nice to sit and enjoy a cup of matcha here.

This is the perfect place to re-charge, calm your senses, and enjoy beautiful architecture and foliage. My boyfriend was inspired to get a Bonsai tree of his own after visiting. The trees here are magical!

Wonderful garden. Many different areas to explore and enjoy. The entire garden is expertly maintained. Quite large with a fair bit of walking, including some hills. There is a bus that will take you up the long, steep initial path. Take time to see everything. The garden is away from the city center and very quiet.

Beautiful Place. Its a steep climb but its worth it. Sit around and admire the scenery and listen to the sounds of nature. Or that wooden water long thing. Parking was good. I didnt have any trouble looking for parking but I would assume on a weekend it might be difficult. Theres a tennis court right across the lot so people will park in that and play instead of going to the garden.

Lovely, relaxing setting. Reasonable admission fee for the work involved in maintaining such a place. Plantings and grounds are well cared with wonderful and vibrant plant health. The amount of moss everywhere makes you almost miss it!

We loved this Japanese Garden located near downtown Portland. So many shades of green and some wonderful Japanese sculpture throughout the gardens. The large Koi pond was a delight to see and the volunteers that work here are very courteous and helpful.

Fall colors were beautiful. A bit of Japan in portland. A very peaceful beautiful place.

This garden had me in awe at every turn. It is so peaceful and very well done. It made me feel transported to Japan. Everyone was safe, socially distanced and masks were required. Feel so grateful to have been able to visit.

Beautiful garden. Gods beautiful creation.

I absolutely love this place. Its a newer ritual to visit biweekly. However because of the global situation, I havent been able to visit since February. Four long months.I am happy to be able to return.Great people at a wonderful place.

I’ll say that the Japanese garden is absolutely beautiful, stunning really, unfortunately it was not worth the price. That being said, it was only about 30 minutes of a walk through, no bonsai trees displayed, no cafe, no museum, some of the trails were overly crowded, and the little store had a very long line, so we didn’t bother and left for the rose gardens across the street. None of the above not available was mentioned in conversation when I called to ask about prices etc. Spent over an hour at the rose garden - which is free by the way.

A great place to spend part of your day while in Portland.A great mix of statues, structures, plants, trees, water features, and the like. Lots of serenity strolling around the grounds. Could be a great place to sit with a book and just relax. The Umami Cafe has a great selection of teas and treats. Be ready for a small hike to get up into the garden.

Portland’s Japanese garden is one of the most visited places in town, and deservedly so. With eight distinct gardens spread out over 12 acres, it has been described by knowledgeable experts as the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan. Located barely a mile from city center, this island of calm manages to convey a spirit of tranquility even amid significant crowds of people. This is because the design is such that major areas are accessible only to the eye, so that one can enjoy the beautiful spaces without seeing other visitors. This alone is a triumph of spacial design, but there are numerous other elements, usually hiding in plain sight. Which makes the daily free tours (i.e. there’s no extra charge beyond the steep but worth it entry fee to the garden itself) a very welcome addition to your visit, provided you arrive at the right time. Be sure to check the schedule, as tour times vary. Offered by well-trained volunteers, the tours can fill in blanks that you wouldn’t have known existed. The delightful tale of the Poetry Stone is especially charming. Yet the stone itself is unmarked and easy to pass unnoticed in the garden, with typical Japanese reserve and humility. Truly one of Portland’s hidden gems, it’s full of hidden gems all its own. Spring through fall are best times to visit, but there’s magic in the air here at any time of year. Go.

Great Place. I used to visit Japanese gardens at Kyoto, hyogo and Tokyo. At first, i thought that it cant be compared with the gardens in Japan , I didnt visit it for five years although My house is 15-20 min driving . Today i just decided to give it a try and i was surprised how stunning the Japanese garden is. It was as beautiful as those gardens in Japan. Highly recommended

You can enjoy a morning cup of tea in the gorgeous tea house or enjoy a cultural exhibition in one of multiple buildings. he tea house was also lovely but would recommend making a reservation or getting on the wait list before you start walking around. If no one is here you can easily walk the whole garden in a half hour but I would recommend taking you time and taking a breath at each spot, just like it was intended. We visited the cafe for the first time, I would rate this four stars. They have a variety of scenery and occasional exhibitions/cultural displays for people to enjoy. The koi are beautiful and every season provides a different experience for viewing the garden. You can tell that a lot of thought and planning went into each space and it was just breathtakingly beautiful in its full Autumnal glory.

Wonderful experience no matter how many times you visit. Arrive early for parking or take a shuttle from the zoo.

Beautiful! Peaceful. Very enjoyable for a warm afternoon.

Nature in all its glory. Getting my daily dose of zen. Everyone could use a little green every now and then.

So well kept and very peaceful. This is a slice of heaven and an escape right in the middle of portland. So beautiful and serene, but at the same time gives a sense of structure and order.

Truly breathtaking! absolutely worth an afternoon :)

Serene. Beautiful trees and waterfalls. Koi pond stocked with large koi. Social distancing precautions in place. Staff was well informed of the precautions yo keep visitors ssfe.

Lovely and fairly large and varied Japanese garden. An experience for the eyes, nose, and ears. Take your time there. At least during the pandemic, the tea room is only open for viewing, not drinking or eating.

I spent time in Japan many years ago and have developed an affinity for Japanese culture. Having a very late flight and nothing to do, I decided to visit this wonder. I am so impressed by the meticulousness with which they maintain these gardens. It was incredibly hot the afternoon I was there. An attendant came into the line and checked my bag for me to pick up when I finished. You walk the trail to the top and start your self guided meandering there. It all circles back around, so most of it doesnt matter which way you go.Make sure you visit everything. Its worth exploring every nook and cranny. The tea garden is gorgeous. The koi are so big, so mesmerizing and serene. Stop and rest at the waterfall pond before wandering into the little stone and wooden pathways of the natural garden.There are so many little hidden treasures. I found a gravity fountain by the klunk sound the bamboo made when it became over filled with water.The gift shop is worth a visit. There are things for every budget level and they have some really unique items.Take your time and savor this experience!

Need to see this place when it is fully reopened. Peaceful and beautiful.

We havent been to many gardens so we were expecting to see flowers. There were trees and waterfalls but no flowers. The place might also have smelled great with fresh air but since we were wearing masks, we couldnt tell. Wouldnt recommend going until masks arent needed.

An amazing garden that you must visit if you get to Portland. It puts you in a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere set by the beauty, aesthetics and style of the Japanese way of gardening. Every plant is personally being taken care of. Paved walking trails take you along a breathe taking mix of colors, water streams, wood structure and shapes that are everywhere. The site includes also typical Japanese houses and Japanese souvenir shops. Parking is available near by, but is limited in busy hours. Do not miss it

An amazing Japanese style garden, arguably the best outside of Japan. If you find yourself in Portland do take the time to stroll through it. It is well worth it!

Very nice place. Quiet and keeps in line with a natural aesthetic. Must see if you are into nature - also has some quality Koi.

Perfect place to relax. The garden was beautiful great for live birds or families

Best Japanese Garden in the US! Painstakingly curated, expansive and yet feels natural. Classic tea house with the veranda opening to views of Mt. Hood recreates views of Mt. Fuji beautifully. Seasonal changes keep the garden fresh and unique and the international Rose test Garden next door is an added bonus when visiting.

This garden offers some of the most spectacular foliage during Fall. I had the luxury of visiting on a clear and crisp day which was the perfect day to experience the beauty of the Japanese Garden. It’s not the largest garden by any means but it is definitely very special. You can tell that a lot of thought and planning went into each space and it was just breathtakingly beautiful in its full Autumnal glory. Some of the photos I took do not do the gardens justice... the gardens are truly out of a picture book or fairy tale. You can completely imagine a beautiful, ethereal, Japanese princess living amongst the nature over here! You can even see Mount Hood. This is a must see place if you’re in Portland!

Very pretty easy walk through a large Japanese themed garden experience.

Very beautiful and peaceful garden. Has a few neat exhibits as well. Good photo ops if you come mid-morning to mid-afternoon, otherwise it’ll be pretty dark. Neat views of Portland too.

Beautiful!! Great day to visit there were blue skys so picture taking was ideal.

Easily one of the most beautiful Japanese gardens in America. Wonderful in any season or weather (provided you’re dressed appropriately). A must see for guests to the city, along with the Rose garden just below it. Very much worth a membership for locals.

Slightly expensive but it was a beautiful experience. So well manicured and cared for. Worth the money.

Not worth the price. The garden was nice and well maintained, but my wife and I both thought that $19/ticket was overselling it. Especially with Covid going on. They had it set up so there was nowhere to linger and most of it was roped off into one-way walking only. Unless you’re already a big fan of Japanese culture, I would recommend the (free) rose garden just down the hill instead.

First trip in years to the Portland Japanese Gardens a visit long overdue. Our visit was in February which isnt the most colorful but it really highlights the texture of the grounds, water and structures. We visited the cafe for the first time, I would rate this four stars. The food was very bland and selection as expected limited. Make sure you ask for soy sauce and other accents to make the food pop a bit more.

It was so pretty! Went during fall so got to see some neat colors

Great sight seening place Japanese culture. Great customer service experience!!

Small and calm and well forested. Great in all kinds of weather. Not during COVID they do tea ceremonies, ikabana, and other lovely activities. Remember your student ID if you have it! Great student discount!

Immaculate grounds. well presented zen garden. awesome gigantic koi were impressive. many passages with soothing water ponds and stone works. tranquil and relaxing walk. 1 hr is ample

Rob and I took my sons Devon and Trevor and my grandbbys here and one of my daughters Jessica Lynn Larson it was beautiful during the summer in 2018 but it was beautiful in the fall as well in 2017.

A surprisingly large and diverse set of gardens nestled amount the pines. Great to walk, or to just sit and relax. Cafe offers several plates with different green teas (small but tasty fare). Even when overcast, the scenery is beautiful.

This is a beautiful, peaceful place that everyone should most definitely visit! My fiancee and I went when it was raining and that only added to the wonderful atmosphere of it all! We LOVE this place and our tour guide was so sweet! Would love to visit again.

Great fall colors and peaceful surroundings. A calm place amid the chaos.

Very tranquil experience. I stayed there for hours. The stroll is very scenic ....plush tall greenery and trees. The sounds of the waterfalls and water flow....and their Koi pond fish were spectacular. I would definitely recommend this as a view place to see while in Portland.

Precovid I would come here every other week since I have membership. I would just sit and relax. Its a quiet place to get away from the city.

This is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places Ive ever been. It is just stunning. They do a great job at making sure the garden is not too busy during this time.

Great place for nature loverI visited this garden with my family and we absolutely loved it. Only reason for 4 star is the entrance fee, $18 seems a bit high and also $10 tripod fee is not justified.Update: I’m glad to hear back from the Portland Japanese Garden with my concern around the entrance fee. Now that I know the reason, I’m updating my review to be 5 star instead of 4.

Very serene, and beautiful. Amazing Gardens and very friendly staff. Such a pleasure

Magical, beautiful architecture and plant lifeMust go. Check out the tea house as well.

The Portland Japanese Gardens is one of the first places we visited when we moved to Portland and ever since we have been members. It is a true example of Japanese Garden craftsmanship. Everyone is respectful and the calm of the gardens is palpable. All four-seasons are fantastic. Everyone should visit multiple times through the year to experience.

A serene getaway thats close to the city... Amazing colors in fall

According to the Brochure, the former Ambassador to Japan said this was the most authentic Japanese Garden outside of Japan, and even though I havent been to Japan Im not surprised! It is expensive, but we had a great time.

Quiet & tranquil afternoon walk. Beautiful gardens, water features, sculptures. Worth a visit for sure!

This is a beautiful garden that is definitely worth seeing. The Japanese culture and influence is simple, yet elegant, and provides a peaceful and beautiful getaway.Im removing one star because there are several areas that are not stroller or wheelchair accessible. Traveling with a toddler was okay, but the added difficulty was a bit of a hindrance.

Beautiful place to visit, glad they have a shuttle to use for those who cant make the walk up. Such a beautiful garden, will definitely visit again.

Such an amazing in place. Highly recommend it going in the fall

Very beautiful and pleasant place to visit in Portland, OR. Big area, the park is divided in many levels, which makes the place even more beautiful and enjoyable.The building where the gift shop is located is an amazing architecture. The coffee shop offers delicious Japanese cakes and treats.A short version of the tea ritual is presented everyday.Very nice place to go if youre visiting Portland, OR.

So beautiful and relaxing to walk through! Love it

Beautiful place. I recommend arriving early on a weekday to get a parking spot and get a ticket. Agreed, parking is about as bad as conceivably possible. I think the initial plan was for like 10 people to visit a day?The garden is relatively tiny and the people visiting are many. Dont expect to have much tranquility or peace while visiting. Its certainly designed peacefully, but this place was never designed for the volume of people that are here everyday. Its more like a garden conveyer belt. That said, the views and the garden are absolutely worth it. Its just not to scale for the demand/volume. Maybe member nights are where its at!

Peak is this weekend! Dont think about it, just go! So pretty this morning.

This is an incredible experience. I go several times a year. While the gardens are the same, they are gardens, they change. Going in the rain is as wonderful as going in the sun. Every season is worth experiencing.Some of the gardens are hard to access if you have mobility impairments, however there is still plenty to see. One can walk up or take the shuttle. Parking is paid. I recommend going as early as possible to enjoy the gardens before they are crowded. Be careful in rainy weather, many pathways become slick and do not have handrails.

In the middle of the hustle and bustle of Portland is the beautiful refuge of the Japanese Gardens. Built high above Washington Park, the Gardens are quiet, serene and a step back in time. Not all is ancient, however. There is a modern cafe where true Japanese food is cooked and served to order. There is a building dedicated to traveling art exhibits. It is worth the time to visit the Gardens, walk the wooded paths and believe for a short time that you are on the other side of the Pacific Rim.

Absolutely beautiful and tranquil Japanese garden. So many unique places to sit and soak in the beauty. Despite being busy, it was still quiet and there were places to pull aside and have a private moment. Very well maintained. Took about 2 hours to get through the garden. The tea house was also lovely but would recommend making a reservation or getting on the wait list before you start walking around.

Nicely kept and serene. I have videos; but they wont attach. Bring your kids. They provide a map where the kids have to find specific statues. Some are so well hidden that we never found some.Recommended that you visit in each of the seasons as the scenery will change throughout the whole year. Were looking forward to the Summer visit.Parking Kitty App required for parking.

This japanese garden was hands down one of the best gardens Ive visited here in the states!

Very nice garden and well maintained. Lots of shade so its a great place to go on a hot day.

Short version: We paid over $70 and the garden closed early (half an hour after we entered) due to weather. They flat out refused when I asked them if they would do partial refunds, since we barely got to experience the garden.Im still generously giving three stars because Im sure itd be good if I could see it all and they didnt have terrible customer service.I bought four tickets for a group of us to visit in early March 2020. They told us when we bought the tickets that a small portion of the garden was closed due to weather. They showed us a map. We decided to go ahead, but quickly realized that just that part was closed, it was at least a third of the garden, and it was the third with all the coolest best areas.Shortly after we entered, an employee told us they told us they would be closing early due to the weather and we had 30 minutes. Otherwise, we were planning on spending about two hours at the garden under normal operating hours. Naturally we werent pleased, and I asked them about a partial refund, since we would barely have any time to enjoy the garden. They said talk to the ticket office. I went to the ticket office after our brief 30 minutes in the garden, and they said, The machines cant do refunds, so no, almost verbatim. Terrible customer service. Not pleased.

This is a stunning place of refuge from busy city life. It can be slightly pricy, but it pays for itself ten times over. From the immaculately manicured garden to the hand built waterfall, every part is beautiful. You can enjoy a morning cup of tea in the gorgeous tea house or enjoy a cultural exhibition in one of multiple buildings. I spend hours just wandering about the gardens.

Very beautiful and serene. The gardens are immaculate and very well taken care of. My only complaint is that it is much smaller than anticipated. The code of $18 is a little steep for something you can easily walk in 15 minutes and struggle to spend more than an hour or two in, even with stopping to enjoy the serenity.

Its beautiful. If you want to get-away but only have time for something low impact that you can enjoy for a couple of hours and then be on your way, this is the place. Great cafe as well as two gift shops with a nice selection. Recommend going on a weekday if you can since it will be very busy on weekends over the spring/summer

Amazing place to visit if you are in Portland. We didn’t have much time to go to Japanese Garden but we visited rose garden. It’s very hard to find parking on weekends. To go to the Japanese garden, you have to buy ticket for $17/ person. But the rose garden is free for all. I saw many people there enjoying afternoon with their pets. I think it’s a very big garden for a rose garden. Their gift shop is pretty awesome but price is little high though. They have rose flavored hand moisturizer to rose water and you name it. Nice place to visit with your pets!

Majestic space that moves beyond the formal protocols of Japanese gardens. Here you will find a fresh new tale of wonder being told every day as you journey through winding paths, experience waterfalls and see color explode around you. A not to be missed experience!

The garden itself is very beautiful, however it’s much smaller than I expected. Naturally with COVID-19, many things are closed including the cafe. You can still buy water however. This is not very easy to navigate for individuals with disabilities. Also, $17 + parking is WAYYYYY too much for this. Extremely overpriced in my opinion.

There was a line to get tickets but it went by quickly. I was going to order tickets online while in line to shorten the trip but an employee said Id still have to wait so I didnt. Im not sure if there are special accommodations for anyone with physical disabilities but you have to walk up a hill to see the gardens. Everything there was so beautiful. Loved the little water features, the changing leaves, views of the city, and how well kept everything was. Very tranquil and definitely worth the $17!

Such a beautiful garden. I entered into a little piece of heaven ...explored the gardens for 2 and a half hours, breathtaking views from every angle. It was so peaceful & quiet. Many waterfalls and trickling water at every turn. The tree canopies were also beautiful. I was able to meditate and renew even with many people around, it was as if there was an invisible no talking sign posted.

Few places are more quiet and relaxing. Fantastic spot for meditation. Despite a relatively small footprint, the design inspires a sense of sprawl.you feel deeply lost in the woods in the best way.

Great place to visit ..very beautiful especially autumn

A very Serene and cultural experience. You can quickly walk through in about 20-30 mins, or you can take your time and spend hours looking at the diverse and well maintained plant life here. Extremely relaxing when its not busy. A little pricey for a single admission however IMO.

Very serene, exactly what I needed. Staff were very gracious. I would pay to go again!

If you want to take pictures, DO NOT GO HERE! HORRIBLE!Per the Oregon mandate youre only supposed to wear a mask when 6ft/social distancing is not possible..They wouldnt let us take our masks off for pictures. We werent bothering anyone and we were WAY more than 6 feet from the nearest person.

Such a beautiful, tranquil, and mindful space. The garden is immaculate- although smaller than expected. Beautiful trees and peaceful benches throughout the garden. The downside is the cost - it is way over priced given how small it is.

The Portland Japanese Garden is a beautiful place - one of the largest Japanese gardens in the States. The annual membership is well worth it, as the garden comes alive in different ways throughout the year.Word of advice - dont expect much peace and quiet during members hours in fall, the leafblowers are going full volume until the gardens open to the public.