JAPANESE GARDEN

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Photos by Mary Nagan

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HOURS - 2012 Season

Feb 14 - April 1 Tues-Sun 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
April 3 - May 6 Tues-Sun 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
May 7 - Sept 16 Mon-Sun 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sept 17 - Oct 29 Mon-Sun 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Oct 30 - Nov 11 Tues-Sun 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.

AUDIO TOUR & PODCAST

Japanese Garden Audio Podcast

Subscribe to the Japanese Garden Audio Podcast:

• Download the Audio Tour Liner Notes (PDF format)

ADMISSION

Adults 18-64: $6
Youths 6–17, Senior Adults 65+, College students with ID, & Disabled: $4
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: Public Tours are offered free with admission on weekend days at 12:30 p.m., and 2:00 p.m., April through October.  In addition public tours will be offered on Tuesday and Wednesday from 12:30 p.m., May through August.  All tours start from the main gate, and are led by Arboretum Foundation Unit 86  Docents.  These tours provide an educational introduction to the culture and history of the Seattle Japanese Garden.

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 Tuesdays and Saturdays from 8:00-10 a.m., before the garden opens to the public. Each session is limited to 10 participants and offers a rare opportunity for photographers to bring tripods into the Garden. $30 advance registration is required. Photo sessions take place rain or shine.

Tateuchi Community Room Rentals

The Seattle Japanese Garden has a small meeting room available to rent on site with a maximum capacity of 49 people. The rental rates for 2011 are $60 per hour with a two hour minimum.  There is  an additional application fee of $20 along with security deposits and other building monitor fees depending on the nature of the rental.  Access to the garden is through the main gate during operational hours.  Sorry we are unable to rent the garden grounds for private events.

Ceremony Information

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

Seattle Parks and Recreation has a number of sites that serve as excellent ceremony venues. For more information, please go to our Weddings & Ceremonies web page.

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 Tateuchi Community Room at the Japanese Garden.

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.

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 Seattle Japanese Garden
• Seattle Japanese Garden Community Blog
• The Urasenke Foundation
• Washington Park Arboretum
• Associated Recreation Council

*Note: To view a PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download it for free at www.adobe.com.