Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens are a Japanese style park / gardens, completed in 1967, notable also for being the largest of its kind outside of Japan.
The garden was build from the initiative of the Japanese-Argentine Cultural Association, to replace an earlier Japanese garden within the city district of Retiro, and the completion of which coincided with the then-Crown Prince of Japan, Akihito, and princess Michiko’s stately visit to the city.
PHOTO: Main entrance to the Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens from Avenida Figueroa Alcorta. Tickets to the park are purchased from the counter located on the right hand side of the picture.
PHOTO: Adjacent to the entrance, there is a useful guide map to the area, with significant garden highlights, kiosk, restaurant, and Japanese library marked onto the map.
PHOTO: There are two bridges crossing the carp pond of the Japanese gardens, of which one, called ‘Heavenly Bridge’, is in the picture. The bridge symbolizes making a crossing to heaven.
PHOTO: Eastern view towards the Heavenly Bridge and the carp pond fountains.
PHOTO: As its name suggests, the carp pond contains numerous carps of different sizes and colors, of which the biggest ones in close-up. The picture has been taken from the gardens’ Yatsu Bashi section, which is a zig-zag footpath build on top of the water.
PHOTO: The other bridge crossing the carp pond is called “Shortened Bridge”, crossing the pond to its central island, where you can find, for example, planted varieties of different types of Japanese herbs. A little to the right from the center on the picture, you can find a massive ishi-doro stone lantern, which have been part of Japanese, Buddhist garden constructions since the 6th century A.D.
PHOTO: In the middle of the carp pond there is an island, where several traditional medicinal herbs grow.
PHOTO: Japanese peace bell, which was added to the gardens in 1998, and which is a copy from a peace bell donated by the people of Japan to the United Nation’s New York City building in 1954.
PHOTO: The gardens also feature the pictured sculpture, “Samurai”, by Japanese sculptor Baku Inoue.
PHOTO: A view to the kiosk/gift shop next to the entrance, where you can purchase, for example, Japanese handmade crafts and memorabilia, as well as drinks, snacks, and ice-cream.
PHOTO: On the northern end of the gardens, you can find several garden buildings, including pictured house containing a Japanese restaurant, adjacent to which there is, for example, a center for Japanese culture.
The entrance from Avenida Figueroa Alcorta to the ‘Jardín Japonés’ leads to an area, which is sized at about 2 hectares, and contains Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens, a cultural center, a restaurant, and a bonsai tree greenhouse.
From the gift shop / kiosk at the gardens, you can purchase, among other things, a large selection of Asian garden seeds and Japanese handmade crafts, most of which have been made as part of the cultural center’s activity.
The most central element at Jardín Japonés is its central pond, which contains large carp fish, and which you can cross via two bridges, of which one takes you to the pond’s central island (and the Japanese medicinal herbs growing there).
Green areas adjacent to the carp pond have a selection of plants typical to Japan, including sakura cherry trees, katsuras, momiji trees, and alpine roses.
Highlights within the area also feature the gardens Japanese peace bell, massive ishi-doro stone lanterns, which are central elements in Japanese Buddhist tradition, and different types of granite sculptures.
You can familiarize yourself with the gardens’ offerings, events there, and opening hours via the place’s official website, available at www.jardinjapones.org.ar.