This place is absolutely beautiful. I’m a huge fan and avid frequenter of Japanese gardens, and botanical gardens in general, and was very impressed by the size and layout of this one. It is very well-kept and honestly it was not crowded at all when we went. I believe they cap it at 15 people per hour so it’s easy to have a very quiet stroll alone or with someone you care about. There are waterfalls, small islands, bodegas to sit in, geese walking around, and all sorts of wonderful things to see. Parking is extremely easy and plentiful. All around a really nice experience and I plan to be back in the future.

The place is beautiful, but the security guard is very rude and will follow you around for your entire trip. They also will yell at you if you sit on a rock or step off the path. For such a peaceful place you would think the security would be kind and at least polite when telling you the rules. The place is great however, wonderful picture spots and scenery. The gardeners did a wonderful job. We will never be coming here again due to how we were treated unfortunately.

Closed for no reason. It’s been a year and a half this place is closed. No communication when it’s going to open. They keep advertising themselves on facebook with notes “reopening soon” for a year. They refuse to give any reasonable explanation why the park is closed. They ignore anyone who asks when they are going to open and why is it closed. But there were couple of private events that were held there when they were closed. So I guess it’s only open to very special people. Sad.

Parking: free with entry Entry: free and by reservation only. Better than expected! Not the greatest Japanese garden in California but definitely top 10, would rank maybe 4 or 5! When you first go in the garden you get hit by a strong waft or chemical and it looks very plain but the back of the garden is great and very well done! Water is clear, tons of different types of birds, more than I have seen next door at the Lake Balboa. Highly recommend

First time visiting. I was told that pre-Covid, there would be upwards of 2200 visitors in one day! Now with this reservation system, only 5 groups of no more than 5 in a group are allowed in at a time for every hour, so it literally felt like we were the only ones there most of the time.Such a nice, serene place! Our toddler had a great time checking out the fish and ducks/geese. Great way to spend an hour of your day!

Such a lovely, calming place. Prepare to be amazed and be absorbed in nature. The sights are beautiful. The atmosphere and sounds are really inviting (except for the planes flying above). I went to the gardens in the morning from 9:30am to 12pm. We were about five people walking around the gardens. It was so peaceful and nurturing. The weather was perfect... except that at the time, some sections of the garden were closed off due to ongoing construction work. Other than that, it was rewarding. I am happy I went.

There were some really pretty parts such as the bridges and small islands in the water, but that's really it. You HAVE to make an appointment online for a one hour slot. They are short staffed but still are not very organized at all and it made the experience not very enjoyable. Looking at the pictures I took is just as good as actually visiting, honestly.

I have to book appointment online. No entrance fee required at this time. I got to visit last week June 8th. The place is getting a landscape renovation. The gift shop, Tea house and visitor center are still closed. However, I enjoyed seeing the birds, ducks, fish, peaches, bamboo trees, ferns, lotus plants, and the mini waterfalls. Will visit again maybe in the fall.

My gf and I have been meaning to visit The Japanese Garden for a while, but with the limited hours, it’s been hard since we both work during the day. Finally had the chance to visit on Thursday June 30th and unfortunately, it didn’t really live up to expectations. Pros: The hours. They’re only open M-Thursday from 10-3:30pm. That can be a good thing for some, so when you do come, there aren’t an abundance of families or children crowding the grounds. No charge for admission The wildlife. There’s ducks, geese, plenty of birds, some fish (I only saw one colorful koi however) and even two what I believe are great blue heron. Cons: The hours. It makes it rather difficult to stop by if you have a “normal” daytime job. Tickets are very strict and you only have an hour to walk the grounds. We didn’t even need that much. We were in and out in 30 minutes. The grounds were undergoing some renovations and some of the path / buildings were blocked off, so they were rather unimpressive. Perhaps they would be better once that work was completed, but it was rather disappointing.

Lived in the valley for 10 years but never visited the Japanese garden. The website shows that they are closed on Fri and Sat, so we planned for a visit on Sun, it was almost 3 when we arrived (last entry at 3:15p, close at 4p) we didn't want to be out in the hot sun as we have two babies in our group. It was such a nice treat, the staff were friendly and the garden was so tranquil, almost completely removed from the hustle and bustle that's happening surrounding it. Definitely plenty of photo ops. Certain areas are peaceful but when we were closer to the perimeter we could hear loud music from public park next door. The bridges, lake, ponds and small waterfalls really add a nice touch to the garden, giving is a zen feeling. Lots of birds, fishes and insects to watch. Would definitely come back for a longer visit next time and maybe even a nap!

Beautiful location that's not too crowded. Great place for a relaxing morning.

Stop by for a recharge from the daily grind and away from the noise. You will typically hear the airplanes overhead which is very unfortunate but there is enough space in between these flyovers where you can truly enjoy the serenity of this beautiful garden. Entrance fee is $5 at the gift shop directly in front, off to the left of the entrance where the portable restrooms are and parking is free. I was able to take a slow stroll through and managed to carefully take some photos all within 30-45 minutes. There are plenty of interesting animals to look out for in the lily pond and the small lake in the center has various ducks and birds flying around. Come relax and enjoy this amazing gem within the San Fernando Valley.

This is a beautiful place to go. If you are having a bad day and need some tranquility, this is the place to go. The cultural experience is sufficient and the knowledge that you obtain from the water reclamation department is top notch. A great place for photo ops and family experiences!

Beautiful place, even with certain parts still being closed, like the tea house.

This is a beautiful garden especially when they are not renovating. Very relaxing, calm, serene. There is an entrance fee to help maintain the place which is fine. If you are looking for a place to simply meditate, relax and connect with nature, this place will do.

I love the Japanese Garden! It's so lovely and a great place to spend an afternoon. The water processing plant building is also really interesting.

Great little spot to take the family or significant other. An easy $5 and 35 min of your time, will get you through this whole magnificent oasis and is guaranteed to make you exit with a calmer state of mind and a sort of enlightenment. Highly recommend!

I've lived in LA county for 27 years and never knew this place existed! It's definitely a hidden gem. Beautiful peaceful place with lots of birds and fish to watch. There's even a cute little boardwalk. The small entry fee is worth the experience. I'd go again!

This is a wonderful place if you love flowers and landscapes❤️ good atmosphere, very clean and peaceful, good for your first date if you want to impress her, I will definitely return!! ❤️🌹☮️✌️

Peaceful garden stroll. Great place to visit multiple times of year! Admission is free and you can reserve tickets online.

A hidden gem in the valleys! reservations can be made online but make sure you pick a day ahead of time because they get booked pretty fast. There’s plenty of parking space in front of the Japanese garden entrance. You have to show the security by the gate your reservation to gain access. I’ll be coming back again to see the two houses that are currently closed for reconstruction.

This place feels like your in a whole another world.... Really beautiful gardens... The lil Japanese house is the best part...

It's fine, enjoyable to walk around and all. But it is SUCH a beast to get in that I have a hard time saying it is worth it. First, it is only open for late morning and early afternoon on weekdays. Second, you've got to be able to make a reservation online only a few days ahead of time. Third, you've got to just be aware of the fact that the very imposing gate at the front entrance will LOOK locked but won't be and a guard you can't see will come out and open it once you drive up and wait right in front of it (with no signs telling you to do this). The entire process seems purposefully designed to DISCOURAGE anyone who doesn't already regularly go from ever going for their first visit. It's like they've done everything possible to make it as exclusive as possible while still being able to say it is free and open to all.

Beautiful spot. Free entrance. I had no idea this was here. Really enjoyed it.

A beautiful Japanese-style garden hidden in the middle of the valley. I've lived down the street for nine years, but I've never been free while they were open until today and I'm going to make this a regular thing. As of this writing the tea building at the back is still closed (to be opened back up soon) and the large building you would usually walk through at the end is also closed (with no reopening date yet chosen as far as we were told). I can't wait to come back further into spring when more of the plants are in bloom, and to hopefully take part in since tea. It should be beautiful.

If you manage to get tickets it's really worth the trip.

Pretty nice place, so quiet. For enter needs reservations, and you can walk around only one hour. It’s not comfortable.

Nice garden, but nothing special about it. Simply does not worth the trouble of going there. We visited in the beginning of December, where the utilities were closed you need 10 min. to cover the park. Need reservation in advance and you will be allocated 1 hour time slot. It is good that it is free of charge otherwise it will be a disappointment.

A great place to visit for an hour or so. It has such a wide variety of beautiful plants and birds. There is also a water plant that renews used water for their park that you can view.