The Japanese Garden

Students and seniors, affordable. Even the regular admission is very fair (5 $). Bird watcher’s delight, my mother and I saw cormorants, an osprey hawk, 2 types of herons, an egret, and plenty of coots and Canadian geese. Of course, the garden itself is lovingly tended and manicured. Some of the trees look thirsty, but I think that is due to the dreaded drought. Could definitely cover all bases in an hour, but why rush through, be present. Sketchbook, pastels, plein air, colored pencils…
Guided tours available. Nice teahouse, gift shop has some interesting items. Hours can vary, also closed 24 hrs after it rains. Fyi, some rules are in place regarding professional/​staged photography, so call ahead about those types of situations. Personal use pics are fine.
Only con, next to the water treatment plant. Alas, I appreciated that the garden and ponds use reclaimed water.

We went a few days ago, and the weather was perfect. It was very pretty. (The water plant really stunk though). However, we were not volunteered any information, like the fact that it’s a $ 500 fine to use your tripod. A security guard was about to fine us and I was completely clueless about this rule. I’ve been to numerous little gardens like this and no one ever said no tripods. And he was so rude and obnoxious. He asked if I looked on the internet. Um, no? Is that the law? He then said that MOST people ask if this and this and this are okay to bring in. Liar. Normal people would volunteer such information. How do we know what all kinds of questions to ask? So there’s your warning everyone…

Very peaceful and beautiful garden. Also the ladies who work in the gift shop are so nice. Definitely worth going!

Brought my ex here (while not an ex) on an anniversary date (followed by other day time activities).
She lived so close to this gem and never knew about it. But I a native New Yorker, while doing my research for a romantic and fun day, came across this beauty.
It is a water treatment plant and a Japanese Garden. I love the concept.
It was so calm, beautiful, & Romantic
She and I both loved it. It ‘really’ transports you to another place.
Plenty of free parking
Here and there you will come across an odor. It is a water treatment plant but the concept of what they do there is so beautiful I did not mind it much and will not take away a star for the odor.
Prices as I recall were very reasonable if not a bargain. Furthermore whatever the cost is you know your money is helping sustain this gem. It is always a good feeling to help the world.

This is a beautifully maintained garden. So peaceful and everything is gorgeous. We would gladly paid more for this experience. The staff was well-​informed and quite nice. It is surprisingly not crowded, too. Great place to wind down from a busy week of stress or just chill in the garden surrounding.

I actually like this location better than the one in San Diego. I would recommend others to go to this location. It’s going to be worth driving for.

Amazing deal ! For only $ 5 This you get to experience an Awesome slice of heaven. If you wanna set your mind free and go on a small spiritual journey then this is definitely the place to be. Its Filled with creative acres of green and aquatic landscaping these gardens will inspire you to be one within nature.

Beautiful garden and a perfect place to go on a date. Came here with my girlfriend and we had a wonderful time strolling around. I consider it a hidden gem in the valley. It costs $ 5 to enter but thats not bad considering you can easily spend a few hours here. They have bridges and lakes and waterfalls and fish. Its all very nicely set up and the people that work there are very helpful and kind. I believe they also offer tea however we did not try any of it. In the summer it gets quite hot so I recommend wearing sunscreen. Lots of parking available so they is very convenient :) I have attached some pictures that I took.

This garden is beautiful! They charge each person $ 5 at the entrance (in the gift shop) but I’m sure this money goes to maintaining this gorgeous garden so it’s well worth the fee. Parking is free and in a big private lot. They close around 4pm but they stop taking visitors at 3:15pm (they close the gate to the parking) so make sure you get there earlier!
The garden is big but will take you maybe under half an hour to browse, take pictures, sit and enjoy the lakes and garden. There’s not a lot of shade so bring a hat or sunblock to avoid getting sunburn. And def a camera to capture all the beauty around you! I would definitely visit this garden at least once or twice but there’s not much else to do there so if you go more than that, it may be boring.

If you ever feel the need to get away, escape, or just reconnect with yourself, or nature, I highly recommend stopping by.
With a $ 5 admission, you’re transported to a completely zen destination.
The large body of water central to everything is home to various birds, tadpoles, and small fish.
One could get lost for hours observing the flow of things from various vantage points.
There’s the tea house (my favorite), from above on the way to view the water treatment facilities, from within the air conditioned building, or along any of the small bridges.
The colors really pop here, and almost make you feel as though you’re dreaming.
The sound of running water, paired with birds singing, and dragonflies fluttering, all add to the experience.
Enough of me trying to explain, go, go, go!

This is definitely worth the drive. It’s the best japanese garden I’ve seen in southern california. It’s clean and awesome.
Though I’ve seen some vulnerabilities in their checkin system. It’s very easily abused. I hope they work a bit harder on beefing up their security.
I also like the fact that they hire retired old people. They’re so nice and awesome!

I’ve lived in the SFV my entire life and just made it out to the gardens. It’s really beautiful and a nice place to spend the day with friends/​family who appreciate nature. Watch out if it’s a hot day because there isn’t a ton of shade. Besides that, really cute place to visit.

This garden has to be a best kept secret in the valley. I have lived in Encino for a little less than a year passing all the parks nearby without ever noticing this place. Deciding to come here was a great idea for an afternoon date. The ticket office is in the gift shop, so you go there first. It costs $ 5/​person and they give u a sticker to show that you paid for admission. They give u a map for a sort of self guided tour.
It’s a surprisingly big garden. There are lots of geese and ducks in the lake areas. There is a tea house in the back and the landscaping is beautiful. There are a few beautiful waterfalls.
Some of the flowers are only in season during the summer, so I might have to come back and see what it looks like during the rest of the year! :)

It’s a beautiful place! Peace is in the air!
The staff is super nice and very polite (all volunteers) a very nice man explained us a little bit of the garden and brought to our table lemonade and cookies :)

Beautiful botanical garden in the Valley. Very serene, quiet, clean, surreal.
Small gift shop with fun items for sale. Only water allowed on the premises.

I know that Suiho– En does not pass muster in the Japanese aesthetics of Purity considering it is next to a water reclamation plant that processes raw sewage. But the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant is attempting to make the highly polluted sewage water pure again so I’m sure it has the seal of approval from the Japanese Gods who treasure purity of mind, body, soul, & the Earth.
On the day that I went to Suiho– En, I also had a docent led tour of the Tillman plant which at the beginning did have an old fashioned outhouse smell, but at the end of the processing that odor was pretty much gone. At Suiho– En proper, my ultra sensitive sniffer didn’t detect any odor that hinted of «ass».
This Japanese garden is rather large in scale compared to the smaller more intimate Japanese garden in the country of origin, which is smaller than the state of California with a population of 125 million, but I will speculate that the Japan born garden designer, Dr. Ko-​ichi Kawara, matched the large scale of the garden to the continental hugeness of the United States since most of us Americans can’t seem to relate to the nuances on the small scale. We are told to «think big», «bigger is better», «Big Shot», etc. So this Japanese garden may be scaled for the American market. The Japanese have been known to modify their products for the targeted market unlike us Americans who tend to think, «If it’s good enough for us, it’s good enough for everyone else.»
Anyway, I believe that Suiho– En is a worthwhile visit especially living in the San Fernando Valley which is the source of all the water coming to make Lake Balboa, heavier, permanent water flow in the LA river, and yes, the tranquil ponds of Suiho– En. Another plus is that in late February I saw blue & white herons, pelicans, coots, mallard ducks, and even Egyptian duck which flash white when flapping their wings. Our docent, Michael F., mentioned that the Pacific Fly By for birds is overhead, and Suiho– En is their natural resting stop. So this Japanese garden not only is a tranquil spot for humans, but also for the migratory birds along the West Coast.
4 Unilocal stars for a place that could have been a hideously ugly site, but through good planning & good appreciation of aethetics by all involved in building this plant, it purifies and acts as a sanctuary.

I have an affinity for the meditative nature of a well manicured, peaceful park. The Japanese Gardens in Van Nuys is just such a place. The Sepulveda Basin is driven through by thousands every day. The 101 and 405 take traffic by the tens of thousands daily, and the Gardens sit peacfully amid the frantic pace of Los Angeles. For a quiet stroll, a beautiful afternoon, a comtemplative session, or a meditative space, this is a wonderful place to visit. It is alway interesting to find local friends who have never heard of the place or given it the I will get to it later excuse. This beautiful park is awaits all in an unlikely location, Van Nuys! Don’t miss it.

WHAT THE!!! JAPANESE GARDEN IN THE SFV!!!
(Review 2 in a series of 2)
BACKGROUND:
The balance of positive and negative forces, Yin & Yang, are ever present here. Obvious in the skillful blending of traditional Japanese landscaping with modern Occidental architecture, less so in the way the Japanese concept of «WA» or harmony is used to unite the desires of the human spirit with our more mundane requirements – the exquisite beauty of a Japanese garden with the need for an abundant supply of fresh water.
STATS:
Parking: not sure, we walked in
Entrance fee: $ 5.00
$ 3.00 for 62+
Docent-​led walking tours, by advance reservation only-​Monday — Thursday
Time to tour: approximately 1−¼ hours and includes an overview of the water reclamation process.
Evening tours are offered during the Summer
Self-​guided tours-11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (last gate entry 3:15)
Garden closed to the public on Friday and Saturday.
Garden closed to the public if it rains within 24 hours of opening time and during open hours.
Groups of 15 or more: Call
Close on all City of LA holidays
EXPERIENCE:
With such a great party, we handed our $ 5.00 to our leader of the day who paid our entrance fee inside the gift shop. With tickets in hand, me and The Crew entered into a completely different world from the warm, dry, asphalt covered roads with the sound of cars vooming by to a peaceful tranquil garden.
Upon entering, visitors walk through a dry karesansui. With gravel which symbolizes the ocean, upright stones in the middle of the dry garden symbolize and are known as the Horaisan, island of immortals and everlasting happiness, as well as the five basic elements… sky, earth, wind, water, and fire.
Gingko Trees and a floating bridge lead to a tea garden and tea house. Alas, we were unable to see a tea ceremony, but we were able to be lookie loose and walk through the tea house.
Babbling brooks and small waterfalls soothe the soul as you complete the garden go. The Japanese gardens, which uses the water from the D.C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant to provide a beautiful and serene place to relax and is worth experiencing.
#japanesegarden #whattodointheSFV
#19

When I first arrived I was convinced that I had entered into some sort of super-​secret government facility that fronted as a beautiful Japanese garden.
My first suspicion arose when I pulled up to the front entrance of the parking lot and the security guard with a stoic countenance asked to see my ID. After he inspected my ID he curtly told me where to park and instructed me to head straight to the gift shop. I could have sworn that he was waiting for me to say something like, «The spotted cuckoo bird is flying backwards,» so he could respond with, «It’s a cold day for pontooning.»
At the gift shop I paid $ 5 to the volunteer and then I proceeded to the garden entrance. What I encountered when I entered the facility was beautiful sprawling 6.5 acres garden that was really impressive. I found myself wondering why I had never heard of this place even though it has been in existence since 1984. Again, I suspected that it was all part of their scheme to keep the location low profile.
It wasn’t until after I left that I learned the location’s true purpose. It’s actually co-​located on the grounds of the Donald C Tillman Water Reclamation Plant. The plant turns sewage into reclaimed water. The location is meant to relieve the overburdened main wastewater treatment facility located in Playa Del Rey. What a wonderful concept, converting part of the sewage treatment facility into a gorgeous Japanese Garden. The real truth is that the garden was used as a carrot to entice the Dept of Rec to place a waste water treatment facility near Lake Balboa Park.
This a great location to take a causal stroll or to bring a first date. I could see it being an ideal location to hold a wedding; it is obviously a beautiful location and very secluded. I think the place would benefit from an outdoor café. It would be a perfect addition to the site.
As you exit the garden you are taken through the admin building. There they have some so-​so cultural exhibits on display.
Lastly, the location has also been used as a filming location. «Bio-​Dome,» «Rising Sun,» and «Star Trek: Deep Space 9» were some of the more popular movies that were filmed here.

This garden is perhaps the most gorgeous Japanese Gardens I’ve been to yet!
It says they open at 9am, but that’s for scheduled private tours. It opens to the public at 11 though so drive up to the gate, show your ID to the nice police man (why is he there?), and go to the gift shop to pay the $ 3 donation/​admission fee and you’re in!
It’s a pretty big garden surrounding a giant pond, tons of pretty plants and trees and lily pads and lotus (they’re in bloom now!). The woman at the gift shop said that the whole pathway around was about a half mile so bring comfy shoes! The paths are dirt (and some mud) too so wear shoes you don’t mind getting a little dirty.
There’s also a tea house with gorgeous views of the pond at the end of the pond. It’s big and pretty and empty. I don’t understand why they’ve got the nice tea house and no tea services in it!
It says on signs they use recycled water here and maybe that’s why it smells kinda funky here. Like pond scum or something, walking by the water for extended periods of time, especially in the hot summer time, it gets to be a little too much. Minus a star for the lack of tea in the tea house and the smell, otherwise it’s gorgeous!