Designed by Kanjira Harda, a landscape architect from Yaizu, Hobart's sister city in Japan, the Japanese Garden officially opened in 1987 as the first formal Japanese garden to be built in an Australian botanic garden.

Emphasising traditional elements of wood, stone and water, the waterways, tea house, waterwheel, and bridge act as a focal point for the central plantings of species native to Japan. In Autumn, the Japanese maples bring spectacular colour.

Secluded and picturesque, the Japanese Garden is a popular location for weddings and photography, relaxation, and contemplation.  ​