Rockford, Discovering, Illinois

Serenity Found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

On a road trip to Chicago last fall, we made a stop at Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, IL. Were it not for a stunning picture Kelly saw on Instagram, we may not have never even discovered this experience. Though this was our first trip to a Japanese Garden and it most certainly won’t be our last. Serenity is most certainly found at Anderson Japanese Garden.

Beautiful, calm and breathtaking

Those are the words we would use to describe this tranquil Japanese Garden in the middle of a busy city. Plan to spend several hours if you really want to take in all the beauty. We spent about 3 hours going through once. There are plenty of places to sit and reflect along the way. If time allowed, we’d have gone through a second time to see everything we missed the first time around.

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

How Anderson Japanese Garden Began

Built in 1978, when Rockford businessman John Anderson was inspired by a visit to the Portland Japanese Garden in Oregon. With the ongoing assistance of renowned Master Craftsman and designer, Hoichi Kurisu,  the Andersons’ swampy backyard along Rockford’s Spring Creek was transformed into a Japanese-style landscape.  Anderson Japanese Gardens is nearly 10 acres of stunning, tranquil nature and water features.From groundbreaking to today, the placement of every rock, alignment of every tree, and layout of all paths have been made with careful consideration by Mr. Kurisu.  In 1998, John and Linda Anderson donated the Gardens as a supported organization to the Rockford Rotary Charitable Association.  It now exists as a not-for-profit entity and continues to grow and change to this day.

10 elements that evoke a sense of a Japanese-style garden:

We’ll show you in pictures below the 10 elements that are found in Japanese-style gardens.

1. An intentionally irregular stone path, which helps wanderers be “in the moment” and pay attention to where they are.

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

2. Water dripping from a bamboo pipe and spilling over uneven, different size stones.

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Garden

3. Manicured, miniature junipers, maples or other bonsai trees in a carefully selected container.

Although these aren’t shown in a container, the Maples and Junipers were heavily present!

 

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Garden

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Garden

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Garden

4. Clipped shrubbery, pruned trees and bouncy moss groundcover that create a sense of the depth of space

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

 Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

5. A patch of raked gravel

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

6. A shed or small outbuilding used as a teahouse

Can you imagine enjoying a cup of tea in this setting? While they were not serving tea during our visit, we certainly spent some time dreaming about that experience!

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity Found at Anderson Japanese Garden

The view looking out from the tea house.

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

7. A semi-circular wooden bridge.

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

A cement bridge

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

8. Cement lanterns near a path signaling changes in the landscape ahead

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

9. A bamboo fence

Serenity Found at Anderson Japanese Garden

10. Visually merging the end of the garden with distant hills or nature

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

As you come walking near the end you can hear that you’re coming up on a waterfall. As you walk you catch glimpses of falling water.

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese GardensSerenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

 

We think the Anderson Japanese Gardens nailed the 10 elements. It’s an absolutely stunning property. Here are a few more pictures of water features throughtout the property. As previously mentioned, everywhere you go you can hear water trickling through.

More water throughout

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

While we were trying to feed the Koi, this little guy was not shy! We posted this video to our Instagram.

Just feeding the birds and koi today! #andersonjapanesegarden # koi #exploreillinois

A post shared by Kelly & Dusty (@diningduster) on

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Serenity found at Anderson Japanese Gardens

Pro Tip: Travel mid-week or when there are no events going and it’s a photographers paradise!

We absolutely enjoyed this experience and would visit again if we were in the area.

Have you been to a Japanese Garden in the Midwest that we should add to our list?

Here are some pictures for you to save for the future!

Anderson Japanese Gardens

Website | Facebook

Garden Hours:  Monday – Friday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Saturday & Sunday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Restaurant Hours:  Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Saturday & Sunday 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Cost of Admission:  Adult $9.50 | Senior (62+) $8.50 | Child $7.50

FREE Admission: Garden Members | Children Five & Under

10 Comments

  1. Take a Relaxing Stroll Through Normandale Japanese Garden

    May 1, 2023 at 9:17 am

    […] to read about our visit to Anderson Japenese Garden in Rockford, […]

  2. Find the Silver Lining When a Road Trip is Full of Detours - Dining Duster

    October 21, 2019 at 2:17 pm

    […] had never been to. So we were excited to check it out. Some of our other IL travel adventures are here , here and here. In typical Dining Duster fashion, we extended the trip by a few days so we could […]

  3. 6 Reasons to Visit Como Park Conservatory year round

    April 7, 2018 at 12:36 pm

    […] visit to Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, IL piqued our interest in seeking out more Japanese Gardens.  Honestly, we were surprised to know […]

  4. Cheryl @ O the Places We Go

    October 14, 2017 at 6:08 am

    Definitely one of my favorite places in Rockford! So beautiful!

    1. Kelly & Dusty Ratcliff

      November 22, 2017 at 8:03 pm

      We would love to go back! We also found out there is a Frank Lloyd Wright house in Rockford as well- another site we’d love to see!

  5. kylieuk

    October 13, 2017 at 9:08 pm

    I love Japanese Gardens! Will definitely have to put this one on my bucket list as Rockford is so close to me!

  6. connier316

    October 12, 2017 at 4:56 pm

    Anderson Japanese Garden is my favorite Japanese garden ever! It’s so beautiful–and tranquil.

    1. Kelly & Dusty Ratcliff

      October 13, 2017 at 3:40 pm

      It’s so stunning! Very beautiful and tranquil, indeed!

  7. tabithadutton

    October 11, 2017 at 9:27 am

    Kelly, this garden looks beautiful!!! I noticed in the video of the trees changing color too. It’s perfect! I will need to make a trip up to Illinois to see this 🙂

    1. Kelly & Dusty Ratcliff

      October 12, 2017 at 9:19 am

      Thank you Tabitha! It’s worth the trip!

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