Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden, Japanese garden in Henderson Park, Lethbridge, Canada

Nikka Yuko is a 3.75-acre (15,200 m2) traditional Japanese garden beside Henderson Lake in Lethbridge, Alberta. It was designed by Dr. Masami Sugimoto and Dr. Tadashi Kubo of Osaka Prefecture University, with an original design basis by their student Ayako Hitomi. Its pavilion, shelter, bridges and gates were built in Kyoto by five artisans and reassembled on site. The grounds combine a mountain, waterfall, streams, ponds and islands with a flat prairie garden and a peony wall.

The garden opened in 1967 during Canada's centennial celebrations as a symbol of friendship between Japan and Canada. It was created as a gesture of international connection in Southern Alberta.

The space reflects Japanese aesthetic principles that visitors experience with each step through the grounds. Throughout the garden, pathways are intentionally designed to reveal and conceal specific views, embodying how this culture approaches landscape design.

The garden is easy to explore on foot, with well-laid stone pathways that are easy to navigate. Visitors should wear appropriate footwear, especially in cool or wet conditions, as some areas may feel uneven.

The Bell Tower's Bonshō-style bell was cast in Kyoto as a symbol of friendship between Japan and Canada. The five-storey stone pagoda nearby represents earth, fire, water, wind and sky. Rocks brought from a nearby mountain pass, each weighing several tonnes, were set in place by crane with every angle considered.