Visiting Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden Cal State, Long Beach

Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is a beautiful little gem on Long Beach State’s campus. What the Garden lacks in size is made up of the beauty of the place. Dedicated in 1981, the Garden is designed to look like a miniature Tokyo Imperial Gardens. The Garden’s main feature is a pond planted with water lilies, covering a little over one acre.

The Garden’s pond is enhanced with a zig-zag bridge, a half-moon bridge, and a viewing platform. The pond is also home to a large population of Koi fish that will practically jump out of the water to be fed. Koi fish can only be fed with the fish food pellets provided by the Garden. Visitors are allowed only one cup of koi food. One cup can be divided into 2-3 small cups.

There is a Dry Garden area where students can create designs in the sand using rakes. The area surrounding the dry garden is adorned with trees and rocks. Each rock represents an island in the sea. At the far end of the Garden, there is a small tea house, which can be reached via a short trail flanked by huge bamboo plants. During special events, the tea house is used for traditional tea ceremonies.

The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is a serene and peaceful location that hosts various events throughout the year, including weddings. The garden may be closed to the public on Saturdays when weddings are hosted. The garden is a great place to spend quality time and enjoy the tranquility. A visit to the garden usually takes about an hour, and admission to the park is free of cost.

Where is Earl Burns Miller’s Japanese Garden

Parking is available at Lot 16. Additionally, parking meters are available, and you can pay by the hour. Reservations are required to visit the gardens. For more information, please visit the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden website or call in advance 562-985-8420.

Another interesting requirement to visit the garden is “During open hours, we only allow what one could consider casual street clothes in the United States. Anything considered dressy or formal is prohibited, and people in casual clothing from other countries or cultures may also be denied entry to the Garden during open hours.” I think this rule is in place to prevent social media influencers from ruining the peaceful environment of the gardens.

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