Roji-en Japanese Gardens, Japanese botanical garden in Delray Beach, Florida

Roji-en: Garden of the Drops of Dew, the George D. and Harriet W. Cornell Japanese Gardens, covers 16 acres (6.5 hectares) within Morikami Park in Delray Beach, Florida. A mile-long path links six gardens built between 1999 and 2001 to designs by Hoichi Kurisu, from Heian-era pond-and-island Shinden gardens to a modern stroll garden, passing pine trees, bamboo groves, waterfalls and granite boulders.

The garden originated from a land donation by farmer George Morikami from the Yamato Colony to Palm Beach County in 1973. The actual design and construction of the garden took place between 1999 and 2001.

The gardens are named Roji-en, "Garden of the Drops of Dew." At the museum exit stands the Chie no Wa, or Wisdom Ring, a replica of a stone lantern at a temple to Monju, the Buddhist deity of wisdom, in Delray Beach's sister city Miyazu; its citizens donated it in 1997 for the museum's 20th anniversary. The Woodruff Memorial Bridge at the entrance marks the link between Japan and Florida.

Wear comfortable shoes as the pathways cover varied terrain and wind through different garden types. Plan enough time to explore all six sections at a relaxed pace without feeling rushed.

The Chie no Wa entrance features a replica of a 500-year-old lantern from Miyazu, Japan, symbolizing a direct connection between the two countries. This lantern is a rare example of an artwork specifically replicated to bridge two cultures.