Jardin japonais de Toulouse, Japanese botanical garden in Compans-Caffarelli district, Toulouse, France.
The Jardin Japonais de Toulouse is a Japanese garden in the Compans-Caffarelli district, covering around 7,000 square meters (75,000 square feet) and combining traditional elements such as water basins, stone groupings, and shaped plantings. It sits within the larger Compans-Caffarelli Park and displays plants from East Asia alongside classic structures like a teahouse and a red wooden bridge.
The garden was created starting in 1981 on land formerly used for military purposes and commissioned by Mayor Pierre Baudis. The layout followed Japanese models from the Muromachi period and brought Asian forms to southern France.
The name honors Pierre Baudis, the mayor who initiated the project, while the design follows Kyoto gardens from the 14th and 15th centuries. Visitors can walk paths that wind between pines and bamboo, crossing the pond bridge where koi fish swim.
Admission is free, and the site opens every morning at eight, closing between 6 PM and 9 PM depending on the season. Most areas are accessible on paved paths, though some narrow trails can become slippery after rain.
The site received the official Jardin Remarquable label for its collection of East Asian plants that are rarely found in southern French cities. Some specimens were brought directly from Japan and adapted to the Garonne climate.
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