Portland Japanese Garden, Portland (must see)

The Portland Japanese Garden is a traditional Japanese garden, located within Washington Park in the west hills of Portland. The garden was designed by Professor Takuma Tono, one of the most important Japanese landscape architects of his time, and opened to the public in 1967. As a Japanese garden, the desired effect is to realize a sense of peace, harmony, and tranquility and to experience the feeling of being a part of nature. In a deep sense, a Japanese garden is a living reflection of the history and traditional culture of Japan.

The garden has five major sub-gardens, each a different degree of formality: the Strolling Pond Garden is the largest; the Natural Garden has multiple ponds, waterfalls, and streams; the Sand and Stone Garden contains weathered stones rising from rippled sand; the Flat Garden is typical of urban garden design, but here it contrasts with the park's folds and contours; the Tea Garden has two areas, each devoted to enhancing the tea ceremony.