Moon Bridge | seattlekifujin

Kubota Garden

Amor and I went to Kubota Garden earlier this summer:

http://www.kubotagarden.org/

Kubota Gardens were started by Fujitaro Kuboata in 1927 on 5 acres of swamp land in the Rainier Valley in Seattle. He did all the clearing by hand and dug out the ponds himself. The Japanese gardens were completed in 1930, including the Heart Bridge.The mountainside was completed in 1962 and the Moon Bridge built in the 1970s. In 1999 there was the addition of the Tom Kubota Stroll Garden.

Mr. Kubota was born in Kochi Prefecture, Shikoku Island, Japan in 1879 and died in Seattle in 1973 at the age of 94. He emigrated to The US in 1907. Tom later died in 2004 at the age of 87.

Sadly, the family was detained during World War II in an internment camp.

The Japanese Government awarded the 5th Class Order of the Sacred Treasure to Mr. Kubota in 1972 and in 1981 the core 4.5 acres of the garden was made a Seattle Historical Landmark. The Gardens were acquired in 1987 from the Kubota family.

There are many footpaths in the Gardens, and many areas to see.

There are also rumors of the gardens being haunted and some urban legends that are probably not true.

There are signs warning of break-ins to parked vehicles – so make sure you don’t leave anything of value in your vehicle or take light rail from downtown Seattle.

The address is: 9817 55th Ave. S., Seattle, WA and the phone number is 206-684-4584.

Due to my disabilities we didn’t get to see the full garden. Loads of wildlife – try to spot them in some pictures!

Here are some of the photos and there will be more in other posts.