The Japanese Garden, Japanese garden in Van Nuys, California.
The Japanese Garden, or Suihō-en, is a 6.5-acre (2.6 ha) garden on the grounds of the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys, in the Sepulveda Basin. Its ponds and irrigation use reclaimed water from the plant. A dry Zen garden with a grass mound standing for Tortoise Island and a Three Buddhas stone arrangement leads to a pond strolling garden with waterfalls and stone lanterns, ending at a Shoin building with a 4½-tatami tea house.
Dr. Koichi Kawana designed and developed the site between 1980 and 1983, leading to its official opening in 1984. This creation marked the establishment of a major example of Japanese garden design on the West Coast.
The garden's Japanese name, Suihō-en (水芳園), means "garden of water and fragrance." Its ponds and irrigation are fed with reclaimed water from the adjacent Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, the reason Donald C. Tillman proposed the garden. The Shoin Building holds an authentic 4½-tatami tea house with a tea garden, and the grounds are rented for events such as weddings.
The garden operates on a limited schedule, so it is worth checking before you visit to ensure it is open on your preferred day. Good walking shoes are helpful since the site includes walking paths and varied terrain throughout its sections.
The garden's Japanese name, Suihō-en (水芳園), means "garden of water and fragrance." Its ponds and irrigation run on reclaimed water from the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant next door, the idea of city water engineer Donald C. Tillman, who studied under designer Koichi Kawana at UCLA.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,862 contributors worldwide.
