Day Trip: Discover the Hidden Gem Japanese Garden in Van Nuys

Tucked between a water reclamation plant and a golf course, the Japanese Garden in Van Nuys is a delightful reprieve from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. The City of Los Angeles funded the Garden, constructed over three years ago and officially dedicated in June 1984. Japanese Garden is among the top ten public Japanese gardens in the United States. The Garden was designed by Dr. Koichi Kawana, who designed more than a dozen significant Japanese gardens in the United States.

Beam Up to The Star Trek Starfleet Academy

One of the most interesting facts about the Japanese Garden is that it has been used as a backdrop for many films and television shows. You may recognize the main building as Starfleet Academy. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek Voyager, and Star Trek Deep Space Nine all included scenes shot at the gardens. The building, in real life, is a water reclamation plant.

Shoin Building & Tea Garden

The Shoin Building, a project over the lake and next to the tea house, is one of the Garden’s key architectural features. Traditionally, a Shoin was a residential dwelling for upper-class monks, samurai, and aristocrats during the 14th and 15th centuries. The building’s exterior is true to the typical Chinese shoe style, but the inside is designed to hold meetings and small gatherings.

Dry Garden: Focusing on Drought-Tolerant Plants

A dry garden, also known as a xeriscape, is a type of landscaping designed to thrive with minimal to no supplemental watering, focusing on drought-tolerant plants. The Garden has several different areas, all meticulously designed and maintained. A dry garden uses stones and gravel to simulate the ocean and ocean waves, with large rocks in the center of the gravel depicting islands.

Wet-Strolling Garden: Streams, Waterfalls, and Pools

There is a wet garden with waterfalls, lakes, greenery, and stone lanterns. Three kinds of bridges can be found in the park: fording bridges, transition bridges, and viewing bridges. Each serves a specific design purpose. Garden features include ginkgo trees, the oldest living tree species, and Stone lanterns, known in Japanese as “ishi-dōrō” or “tōrō.” The lanterns have a rich cultural history and are admired for both their aesthetic and symbolic qualities

Yin and Yang Garden

The Garden is designed to balance Yin and Yang’s positive and negative forces. The entire Garden is very inviting and will bring on a feeling of calm and contemplation. The tranquility is an excellent antidote to the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. Several benches in the Garden are perfect for sitting, meditating, or just relaxing and enjoying the serene atmosphere.

Donald C. Tillman Reclamation Plant

The Garden’s placement adjacent to the Donald C. Tillman Reclamation Plant means that the Garden is irrigated with reclaimed water. The Reclamation plant also flushes the adjoining golf course and fills Lake Balboa. The Reclamation Plant is also “Starfleet Academy.”

Japanese Garden Events

Events are also held in the Garden, so check the schedule to see if you want to time your visit to coincide with one of these activities. Sample events include an origami festival and community fairs and festivals.

Visiting the Japanese Garden: Hours & Admission

The Garden is for self-guided tours Monday through Thursday from 9:30 am-12 pm and 1 pm-3:30 pm. It is closed to the public from Friday through Sunday. Due to the variety of plants in the Garden, it is worth visiting the park in different seasons to see the foliage blooming or changing color during other times of the year. Currently, Admission is free, and guests are allowed a 2.5-hour window to visit the Japanese Garden.

Where is the Van Nuys Japanese Garden

Please call when you wish to visit to ensure the Garden is open. There is a gift shop on-site with a wide selection of items from Japan, including books, ceramics, dolls, papers, tea, greeting cards, and more. Admission fees are paid at the gift shop. Japanese Garden is located at 6100 Woodley Avenue in Van Nuys, northwest, where the I-405 and SR 101 intersect. From 405, take the Burbank Blvd exit to the west and then turn north on Woodley Avenue. Garden Website.

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