4. The Portland Japanese Garden, 6/7/10

Four Seasons * Five Senses * One Extraordinary Experience

Nestled in the scenic west hills of Portland, the Portland Japanese Garden is a refuge of tranquility and exquisite beauty that has been proclaimed one of the most beautiful Japanese gardens in the world.

The 5.5 acre Garden is composed of five separate garden styles: a Strolling Pond Garden, a Tea Garden, a Natural Garden, a Flat Garden, and a Sand & Stone Garden - all of which seamlessly blend into one another to provide surprise vistas and restful repose. The Garden includes an authentic Japanese tea house, meandering streams, intimate walkways, and a spectacular view of Mt. Hood (when the weather cooperates). When you enter the 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, the Japanese garden is a living reflection of the long history and traditional culture of Japan. Influenced by Shinto, Buddhist, and Taoist philosophies, there is always "something more" in these compositions of stone, water, and plants than meets the eye.

Three of the essential elements used to create a Japanese garden are stone, the "bones" of the landscape; water, the life-giving force; and plants, the tapestry of the four seasons. Japanese garden designers feel that good stone composition is one of the most important elements in creating a well-designed garden. Secondary elements include pagodas, stone lanterns, water basins, arbors, and bridges. Japanese gardens are asymmetrical in design and reflect nature in idealized form. Traditionally, human scale is maintained throughout so that one always feels part of the environment, not overpowered by it. A wonderful place to get in tune with yourself and God!