Anderson Japanese Gardens

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The Anderson Japanese Gardens (14 acres) are Japanese gardens located at 318 Spring Creek Road, Rockford, Illinois. They are open to the public open daily from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. between May 1 to October 31. Admission fees are $5; $4 for ages 62 and older; $3 for students; free for ages 4 and younger.

In 2004 the gardens were named finest Japanese garden in North America by the Journal of Japanese Gardening. They were established in 1978 by John R. Anderson and landscape architect Hoichi Kurisu on the site of Anderson's home, inspired by Anderson's trips to Japan, and particularly his visit to the Portland Japanese Garden in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon, also designed by Kurisu.

The gardens are in a 13th-century "pond strolling" garden with several waterfalls and ponds, streams, rock formations, winding paths, and a sukiya style tea house and guest house (built by Masahiro Hamada). The newest portion, the "Garden of Reflection", is a contemporary Japanese-inspired garden, with bronze angel sculptures by Carl Milles. Plantings include Japanese maples, cloud pines, azaleas, magnolias, and rhododendrons.