Anderson Japanese Gardens is without question the most beautiful horticultural park I have ever visited. Absolutely world class. I've known about its existence for many years, but this was my first in-person visit. The Gardens are in Rockford which is about 90 minutes west of Chicago (although a little longer at the moment due to the heavy construction on I-90/94) but worth every minute of the drive. There is a dining option on site which is open for breakfast and lunch, and a gift shop you actually want to bring things home from! Definitely going to make a trip out to the gardens more often (at least seasonally) and am looking forward to attending some of their special events, especially Drums of the Garden (Taiko) and the Japanese Summer Festival next year. I even took out a membership! Glad I made that first visit.

Stopped here on our roadtrip back to Delaware from Minnesota. The garden is very green with various Japanese decor. There are some water falls and ponds with Koi. There were some beautiful flowers blooming! A very nice garden to take a stroll through. It’s rather shaded with various trees to make it rather enjoyable to walk through in the summer as this is when I visited!

An authentic Japanese garden that instills calm, contemplation and meditation over 12 acres of carefully designed landscape. Grass, bushes, trees and the flowing water over waterfalls and into ponds create a spectacular space of stop-in-your-tracks beauty. Excellent cafe for food and drink at fair prices and hospitable service.

Whether you're a nature lover, photographer, or simply seeking a peaceful escape, Anderson Japanese Gardens is a must-visit destination. The moment I stepped into the 12-acre oasis, I felt transported to a world of tranquility. There’s a restaurant which serves breakfast and a gift shop. I purchased several Japanese snacks when I was done walking the garden. Food is not allowed inside the garden. It's a very clean park and the staff are friendly. I highly recommend it.