Awesome garden! Very well kept. My partner and I went here last year and again a few days ago with our daughter when we were in the area and I was reminded how great this place is! I love to walk on the bridges and the different pathways. It's a super great sensory experience if you like walking on different stepping stones and stuff, or if you just like being around nature! Also, did I mention that it's free to visit?! read more

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It took me 25 years of living in Seattle to finally visit the Kubota Garden this fall. Man, I wish I hadn't waited this long but my hubs and I went at just the perfect time, in early October, when the leaves on the maple trees had turned into bright hues of red, rust, and orange. It was the best day to visit. As soon as we walked through the garden gates, our breaths were taken away by the immense beauty before us. It was like a dream. I am not kidding or being facetious. It is that beautiful. I was so amazed by the garden that once I got home, I went online and looked up their foundation and gave a donation. I never do that but that fateful day in October, I did. Now, I'm looking forward to visiting the garden in spring and summer. I still can't believe a public garden like this exists in Seattle. It's truly a special and magical place. Go and see it! read more

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Washington has the best park system. I went to these gardens on a rainy gross morning and was happy to have it all to myself. It is nicely kept, quiet and big enough for a long walk. read more

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Nice vist to Kubota Garden if you have time to kill and are in the area. This free Garden is very nice and clean. Great place to go for a walk or to meditate. Nice walking trail to see all of the different landscaping from waterfalls to ponds, which has koi fishes. Also, nice place for portraits to be taken if you need senior pictures, engagements, or just random pictures. I am not sure if they do offer seasonal events at the Garden. Even though the garden is free, donations is recommended to upkeep the garden! Plenty of parking depending on the time and day you go. I am sure they get pack and busy. Highly recommend Kubota Garden for all seasons! read more

Kubota Garden is a great place to find some beauty and peace within the city. Its grounds are exceptionally well-maintained and expansive. There are a lot of winding trails and garden sections and it can be a bit of a challenge to make sure I don't miss any as I try to visit each spot. You can make it a quick trip and see most of the sections within an hour but I recommend a more extended stay to chill in your favorite spot. The garden has a lot to offer and plenty of space for groups to wander. Some of the more popular photography spots (like that gorgeous Japanese Maple) can get a little busy but you'll find an opportunity to take that photo. My favorite seasons to visit are Spring when the rhododendrons are blooming and of course in the Fall when the leaves change color. It can be quite a spectacular sight when the trees are showing off their red, orange, and yellow! Not to be missed. read more

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Always a crowd pleaser anytime of the year. Kudos to those who've chosen which plants and where. read more

Kubota Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Absolutely beautiful Japanese garden that's well maintained and has plenty to see! We went in the early morning; a few people there, but for the most part we had the garden to ourselves. The quiet made it a great time for animal sightings, bunnies throughout, a few dragonflies, turtles & koi in the ponds, etc. There's a few areas where you can go right up to the pond and a lot of the fish aren't shy at all! I'm sure they're looking for food (seriously don't feed them!), but either way they're happy to come right up to the edge and see what's going on. TONS of places to sit down and just kinda watch the world go by, kinda a mindful contemplation kinda place. Good amount of parking, but I have a feeling this place gets busy in the nice afternoons! Definitely an easy to get to location that's worth the drive to get to! read more

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Garden is beautiful but APPARENTLY CAR PROWLING IS A CONSTANT ISSUE! Back window busted out of rental car and purse stolen. The police do not care about this either. Did not see reviews about previous occasions and wish I did! read more

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I would have never expected to find this gem of a park in this area! We went in April so it was a little cold and muddy, so I can imagine coming back for a picnic in summer would be so nice. Its odd to see people thought this park was boring... it is huge! You can keep walking and discovering new features for hours. There are bridges, rivers, waterfalls, structures, flowers, and all kinds of wildlife. It would be a really cute spot for family pictures, an engagement shoot, or photos for any special occasion. read more

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This place is so much bigger than I thought it would be, absolutely blown away by the beauty and elegance of this place. Great way to start or end a day. Scenic, easy stroll. 1000% better than the Portland Japanese Garden. And free. come here, you wont regret it read more

Kubota Garden is such a wonderful and beautiful garden/city park in south Seattle that everyone in the Puget Sound area must visit. The moment you step inside, you're immediately transported into a serene setting, hidden away with acres of greenery. It's east to get lost here because you want to look at every plant, every tree, walk every trail, etc... But it's actually easy to get around and you won't get lost in the sense of direction! I recommend spending a few hours here to really get through the entire garden. The garden has a lot of different trails, and there is a map at the entrance that you can follow. There is a parking lot, but does get full on busy days. Free admission since it's a city park, but you can donate to help with the upkeep of this gorgeous place. There's a pond area with koi fish, curved bridges to walk over, waterfalls, huge open spaces for picnics, areas to hide and read a book, a covered area that feels like the woods with the surrounding of trees, a covered deck area that overlooks the garden for events and whatnot, water fountains, a portable bathroom area and it's dog-friendly. There is everything here to get away and find solace. We're very fortunate to have Kubota Garden in Seattle. read more

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Super pretty garden with amazing views especially during the fall would 100% recommend totally worth the walk read more

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Delicious food and great service. Very friendly staff and pleasant atmosphere. I would definitely recommend them !

Breathtaking! Worth every step! What a way to end a week in Seattle! And it is free! So grateful! read more

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A perfect place for peace and calm. Beautiful scenes with a Great Koi pond. I brought a blanket that day,a bottle of wine,some cheese crackers and a good book.It was total bliss for me. I made the experience a once a month appointment. read more

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I grew up in Columbia City and don't remember visiting this beautiful hidden gem. What a joy it was to bring our little family during Spring break. It wasn't crowded and although it's in the city, you feel farther away and get "lost" in the beauty surrounding you. My favorite part was the hidden Coi pond and wish my camera captured a better photo of the fish. Our pup and little one enjoyed crossing the step stones and bridges. We took photos under the cabanas and sat on many hidden benches. It was lovely to return to South Seattle and see a garden without litter and tents. Surprisingly, it gave me hope for our city. read more

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We were trying to kill time before going to the Flight Museum nearby since it wasn't opened yet. So with a quick Yelp search, we ended up here at this garden. I love how it was a self-guided tour and we defintiely took our time exploring, getting lost and having a photo shoot there as well. It was so quiet and peaceful there as you immersed yourself in nature, the history of the garden and learned a bit about the Japanese culture. They had koi ponds, Japanese structures, waterfalls and I really wished that the flowers were in full bloom though we saw a bit of them here and there. My favorite part was getting to the top of the main waterfall and being able to look over a good part of the gardens. They even had a bamboo table and umbrella up there to relax at as well. Definitely glad we stumbler upon this place! read more

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***WARNING**** The person who is breaking into vehicles lives at 5104 S. Garden Loop Rd. Seattle, WA 98118. I tracked my laptop. My husband and I were there less than 20 minutes and our vehicle got broken into. I was able to locate where my laptop was, however we could not wait for officers, because we could not miss our flight home. The community the house is located at backs right into the garden trails. This person watches you when you arrive and quickly goes into work. read more

Kubota Garden - The right black square is my Apple Watch where I was standing. The laptop image to the left is the thief's house who stole my laptop. - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Fantastic Japanese garden a few minutes from SeaTac airport. Rather than around the airport fir a couple if hours, we visited this old wonderful public garden . Very nice walk in a zen themed garden. Afterwards we dropped the rental car off and got to the airport in a great frame of mind. read more

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What a beautiful and serene place to celebrate a birthday lunch or picnic. This admission to Kubota Garden is free. I highly recommend coming here if you're looking from a quick break from the city, a nice place to meditate, have lunch or journal/reflect. Please keep in mind, these are the updates per their webiste: "COVID-19 Kubota Garden update: The Garden is open. Please adhere to Safe Start Guidelines: wear masks at all times; no more than 5 people in a group; keep a distance of at least 6-feet between you/your family and others." read more

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A cute japanese garden! It was very nice and quiet on a Tuesday afternoon. Only a 15 minute drive from downtown Seattle. read more

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Kubota Gardens is a wonderful public garden modeled after a Japanese Garden. It's clean, large, free entry and parking and we'll maintained. All of the paths are well marked and while there's some narrow areas and rocks and steps, it wasn't too hard to navigate. I love that this space exists and is accessible to everyone. It's a fabulous Oasis in a big city, and there wasn't any trash, people were super friendly. It's open to pets (all the cute doggos and a pair of kitties too!). Overall, a place I'd recommend and go back to. Located pretty close to I5 as well, so easy to get to. read more

Free amazing Japanese Garden. Go on all the little foot paths and experience the place. There are some beautiful flowers and fun ponds and tiny waterfalls. Go here if you've the time to spare. read more

Really enjoyed the first sunny day in a long time! It was clean, lots of people but everyone was trying to socially distance and the water, variety of trees and just serene spot in a neighborhood was a great place for our Saturday stroll! read more

Kubota Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Woot woot! Recently visited this beautiful garden / park on a nice autumn day and overall, highly recommend this spot for those who love taking pictures of nature and exploring hidden paths. For a Saturday afternoon, this place = packed. Packed in a sense that the parking lot was super full and that I would recommend finding street parking if you can. Everywhere you go, there are a lot of families wandering around, photographers doing shoots, couples on dates and etc. For the rare moments of peace and no one around, you can definitely get the serene sense of tranquility, as you breathe in the crisp and refreshing air, and admire the landscape. I love the hidden paths around the park. Even if you're using the map guide to get around, a lot of the "smaller" paths aren't shown on paper. So definitely be prepare to explore and go off the main path. :) I guarantee you that getting lost is impossible in this park since everything eventually loops back in a circle. Took about 1.5-2hrs to explore this park thoroughly + picture taking. So if you want a quick stroll through a park, you can easily do this one under an hour if you take minimal pictures and use the map to get around. I will definitely come back for the spring time for those lovely cherry blossoms and such! read more

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Great place, disappointed that they haven't removed all the English ivy, but definitely worth visiting!

Pretty garden, great to walk with kids! There are all kind of trees and so many bridges read more

Kubota Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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My boyfriend and I decided to come here because it's free (compared to the Washington park arboretum). I saw a lot of nice pictures of flowers on Yelp, but when we went there weren't too many flowers. I guess it's nicer to visit during spring. There wasn't too much to look at, compared to the Japanese garden in San Francisco. It was really warm that day so we didn't stay long, but if I was local I'd come back to walk the trails or have a picnic. Not the best spot for visitors. read more

Kubota Garden - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Wonderful Wonderful gardens. 20 acres of beautiful paths, trees, ponds and water features. Family and dog friendly.

Enjoyed walking in this free garden spot. The neighborhood can be a little sketchy i felt safe. They offer events for kids, adults and the community. Newly bulit bathrooms and some picnic tables along the back area. There is also a pagoda like area that overlooks the pond (I spotted one koi). We came for the soapstone event and everybody had fun. read more

Easily one of the nicest days I ever spent! In these times when everything you do costs, to have a day without spending a dime and have it be this beautiful and wonderful is truly a rare find! This is a MUST do for anyone in the area. The beauty on display here is remarkable read more

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This place is so cute! Has 20 acres of roads/trails to hike or have a nature walk. The trails tend to intertwine, so you can go for as long or short as you like. Great place for families/pets; certain areas aren't good for toddlers since lots of the trails have rocks or tree roots. They have more than enough space to have picnics. Saw some reviews say this place is boring...it's only boring if YOU'RE boring! This place is great to explore and wander. read more

Kubota Garden - Front of waterfall - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Beautiful and massive city garden. Great to come here on a casual walk or to elevate your photo shoot. Make sure you come in the Spring and Summer time especially because that's when the City of Seattle refill the ponds with Koi Fish! Reflects and honors the Japanese community in Seattle. Must see spot if you're visiting. CAUTION!!! PLEASE MAKE SURE IF YOU TRAVEL BY CAR THAT YOU LEAVE NO VISIBLE VALUABLES BECAUSE THIS IS A HIGH THEFT AREA! This park is so big, you might end up spending 2 hours without realizing it and someone's thieving in the parking lot. read more

This place is enchanting. Probably the most beautiful place or park I have ever been to in my life. The flowers and well maintained scenery are just breathtaking. The weather was absolutely perfect and I could spend all day here. We took so many amazing pictures. This place is by far the highlight of the trip so far!! If you are visiting Seattle this is a must. We took a Lyft from downtown Seattle and it took like 20 mins. read more

Kubota Garden - Love of my life standing on water!! - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Great place to hike and enjoy a beautiful Japanese garden! Very peaceful! I loved their Japanese maple. The waterfall in the middle is very tranquil! Great place to spend half a day here. read more

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Love this garden. So clean and well kept. Absolutely beautiful and I am definitely going back

I've loved Kubota Garden for years, and I am finally reviewing it here on yelp after my husband and I stopped by there yesterday since we were in the area. The garden is kept up so well, and it is such a beautiful retreat! It's a calming place to take a short, slow walk. I love trees with branches that droop down from above, and this Garden has several such trees. The foliage is primarily green in color, as it is in many Japanese-style gardens. There are a few bright blue, yellow, and magenta flowers peeking out from among all of the green trees and green plants. The ponds with koi fish and a small waterfall, the pagoda on top of an incline, and the winding paths among the trees are just a small part of what makes this garden a delightful place to relax and unwind. Per 2 signs on the garden grounds, upcoming garden events include: 1) Jazz on the Kubota Garden Terrace by the Nikki Dee jazz quartet on Tuesday August 13 from 6:30 - 8pm 2) Fall Plant Sale in the Kubota Garden Nursery by the Kubota Garden Foundation on Saturday September 7 from 9am - 1pm As another review here mentioned, be sure to lock your car and leave valuables at home. There is a big sign saying so, but with so much natural beauty surrounding this area, people might miss seeing the sign. Fortunately no criminals wanted my bag of Bartell's office supplies. ;) I'm so glad I got to visit Kubota Garden yesterday. read more

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This place is absolutely gorgeous. It's a serene little escape tucked away in the corner. You can have a picnic here or simply just enjoy a nice stroll through. Pets are allowed too- bonus! read more

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Great location for engagement/wedding/senior photos! During the Fall, the garden is full of vibrant colors which makes it a beautiful setting for any kind of photoshoot. I would suggest coming before 9am if you want privacy, as the park gets very crowded later in the morning and parking is limited. read more

If you are in the area ...GO QUICKLY because they should charge 12$ a person for this amazing garden! Huge very well kept Japanese garden with 7 ponds that include waterfalls, ducks, koi, turtles, rock formations, bridges, stepping stones, and more. You simply must come. There are no guides on duty, but Brad, the groundskeeper, is happy to direct you to the most beautiful of locations throughout the park and how to get out if you're lost. There are handouts at the entrance and a DONATION STATION. Give what you can if you had a good time. Plenty of free parking but it is a high crime area, so lock the car and leave valuables at home. read more

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