hakone gardens

This Japanese-style estate and gardens is impressive when one considers the era in which it was constructed originally and the vision of the family that built it. Compared to the Japanese gardens in Portland, this garden could use some TLC but the history is worth stopping in to see this historic place while in Saratoga, CA.

It is a peaceful garden with Asian-inspired landscapes featuring bamboos, camellias, bridges, koi, zen garden and pavilions, Each piece seems to be placed casually, but all of them make a perfect picture. This garden is an escape from our busy urban life. I visited the garden a couple times. Winter is the worst time to come. Spring and fall are the best season to drop by.Tips: the gate to the garden is pretty difficult to find while driving on the highway. Watch out.

This lovely Japanese garden is a must-see in Saratoga. The place was used as one the shooting locations of Memoirs of a Geisha and is one of the oldest gardens of that type in the US. I strongly recommend it to anyone (couples, single travelers, families)! Hakone has a bit of everything: ponds with bridges, tea house, Zen garden and a nice path surrounded by bamboo. It is easy to loose track of time walking there, and even easier to forget that you're not in Japan!

What a beautiful place! I loved that it was out of the way with very little crowds. The bamboo forests were so pretty. The Koi pond was enchanting. The buildings were very authentic. I would love to visit over and over again!

I love Haokone Gardens because it's a quiet area with a variety of areas to sit and relax, reflect or read. There are many interesting spots to read about, and the grounds offer some fun places to walk. It's a nice afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of every day life, and from what I've seen, it's also a nice place to take formal and informal pictures. It's lovely.

I visited on a sunny November morning during a weekday, and there was hardly anyone else there, so it felt like we had the whole garden to ourselves. It is a small intimate garden, beautifully laid out, makes you feel like you're strolling in the private garden of a landowner in old time Japan. It was a perfect visit for us because of the lack of other visitors, so we were able to appreciate the serenity of the surroundings. I can imagine one would not enjoy the garden as much if it was crowded. A word of caution, I almost missed the entrance because it looked like it was too narrow for a two way traffic. The driveway itself was short, but narrow and winding as you approach the parking lot. The parking lot itself is also pretty narrow, I can imagine it would be challenging if the lot was full!

This is a wonderful place to take people from out of town. It's also great exercise to walk the mini hiking hills there. Don't miss the cool fish and turtles in the pond.

You will want to bring your camera to this hidden gem. Easy drive from Saratoga Village, the charm is everywhere once you pass through the gates. You won't need more than an hour or two to enjoy what there is to see unless you have a mind to meditate a bit. And if you do, this is the place. Low entrance fee.

Scenic location. Japanese pond with koi and gardens. Beware of parking and entry fee. Worth it for special event or visitors.

Having been here several times, I never get tired of the gardens in each of the seasons I have visited.If you like out of the way places and unusual places to visit, this might be your stop. It is a true Japanese garden with wonderful settings and plants. They hold special events here as well, but I have not been, so cannot give a review of them. I live 8 hours from here.My only complaint is the hours of operation. It would be wonderful to stay late in the day or come early in the morning. I love to take pictures and their hours of operation is during the harsh light.I highly recommend and will re-visit in the future.

These Japanese gardens are worth visiting. The property is large and there are many many quiet paths to explore. The layout, "bones" of the garden are classical and beautiful. Most of the plantings are well groomed, but some areas are not as perfect as I am accustomed to seeing in Japanese gardens. I appreciate that they don't have a huge budget for an army of gardeners. It is regardless, a peaceful, serene, and interesting place to stroll.

peaceful, cool, beautiful. a taste of japan for those who can't get there, or those who want to remember it.would have liked the tea house but it was closed

If you love Japanese garden, this is the place you must visit. you won't be disappointed by its vast size and forest of bamboo. the waterfall and koi pond and the moon viewing house in the middle of hills was built without a single nail is just amazing. Love it so much

Supposedly the oldest Japanese style garden in the Western hemisphere. It had one area where the pond was and this area was well groomed and maintained. Otherwise the rest of it was just okay. Not too many flowers- maybe visit in Spring like April or May? It took us less than 15-20 min to walk through the gardens. Not really worth the $8/pp. I guess consider it a donation to keep the gardens maintained.

This is one of my favorite places. I visit whenever I am in the area. A lovely, peaceful place to wander and reflect as well as enjoy the beauty of the gardens. It is built on the side of a hill and the bamboo gardens are special. Love the quite spots to sit and relax. It is a beautiful Japanese Gardens you should visit.