The beautiful new Ashland Japanese Garden opened on October 22, 2022. Designed by Toru Tanaka, a former director of the Portland Japanese Garden, as an authentic Japanese garden in Lithia Park.
The garden is located at the heart of Lithia Park, above the Butler Memorial Bandshell, across from the pickleball courts. Admission is free and the garden is open daily.
Features include:
GATHERING PLACE
Walk up the path from Winburn Way and join others on the flagstones outside the gate. Stop at the Welcome Window where a volunteer can offer information about the Ashland Japanese Garden.
THE GATE
Designed and built from cedar in the traditional post and beam style by William Olsen Designs.
THE PATH
Take the path straight up the hill. The garden is designed to reveal itself by following the path counterclockwise.
NATURAL GARDEN
Admire the two large Douglas Firs that bring the outside environment inside. As part of a larger grove of Douglas Firs planted by local Boy Scouts in 1916.
BAMBOO FOREST
Enjoy the beauty of the North Gate Wisteria Arbor before lingering in the Bamboo Forest. Bamboo is a symbol of good luck and new beginnings in Japan. It is flexible but firmly rooted, illustrating the concept that what looks weak may also be strong.
THE CREEK
Flowing water represents change and the passage of time. As an essential expression of nature, a watercourse symbolizes renewal, evoking continuity in the hereafter. The creek flows into the pond at the bottom of the garden.
THE WATERFALL
Symbolizing purity, a waterfall is a moment in time—we don’t see the streams that originate far uphill, nor do we witness the river that continues beyond the falls. Here, the waterfall features two streams that merge into one.
SAND AND STONE GARDEN
The Sand and Stone Garden, or Karesansui, is an abstract depiction of a spiritual or secular goal. This journey is symbolized by the large rock at the west end, and “the seekers,” which are represented by the smaller rocks that are either approaching or leaving the goal.
THE DECK
The large cedar deck offers ADA accessibility from the main entrance and provides a gathering space for small groups. Enjoy tai chi, yoga, or meditation from this vantage point overlooking the pond below.
See more info about that garden’s history and design at ashlandjapanesegarden.org and enjoy it all in person on your next trip to Ashland.
You’ll be able to enjoy the changing seasons in the Japanese Garden whenever you visit Ashland. Book your stay at The Bard’s Inn Hotel today and you can look forward to seeing this wonderful new addition to Lithia Park.