F A Q 's

When are the gardens open?
May 1st through October 31st. Visitor hours are Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM, Saturday and Sunday from 11 PM to 4 PM. The third Thursday of each month is free admission to the garden or "Free Day". Free day is for individual admissions only. No group tours are allowed on these days. No guided tours are scheduled on week ends or holidays. Special events and guided tours for parties of 10 or more can be arranged by reservation.

What is the admission fee?
$5 for adults, $4 for seniors 62+, $3 for students including college students with a valid ID, and children 4 and under are free with paid adult. Gift Passes and Memberships are also available.

How big are the gardens?
The 12-acre site encompasses the Guest House, Tea House, Azumaya, the Gift Shop and several Sukiya style buildings, as well as the main garden. It also includes the recent addition of The Garden of Reflection, which contains the Event Pavilion, 3 large cast bronze angel sculptures, conversation areas, new viewing deck, and more strolling paths.

When were the gardens developed?
Work began in 1978. The West Waterfall was completed in 1993, and the Garden of Reflection opened in May 2001. Today Anderson Japanese Gardens continues to expand and refine its buildings and grounds.

Who owns the gardens?
On June 1, 1998 Linda and John Anderson donated their garden to a newly formed 501(c)(3) tax-exempt not-for-profit corporation, which qualifies as a public charity as a supporting organization of the Rockford Rotary Charitable
Association. Anderson Gardens has no affiliation with the Rockford Park District, other than both organizations are members of the City of Gardens Program. The park district is not affiliated in any way with Anderson Gardens.

Why were the gardens developed?
As president of Anderson Industries, Inc., John Anderson frequently visited Japan on business, where he developed an appreciation for the Japanese culture. When he had a long layover in Portland, Oregon, he asked a taxi driver to suggest something interesting to do in the interval. The taxi driver took him to Washington Park Gardens, which contain the Portland Japanese garden. From that moment on, he was entranced, envisioning how he could transform his property in Rockford into a garden of serenity and peace, Japanese style.

How do these gardens compare with other Japanese gardens?
Portland's Garden is older; St. Louis' is bigger; this just may be the finest. In 1988, the Gardens received the American Association of Nurserymen National Landscape Award and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America Environmental Improvement Grand Award. In 1992, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented John Anderson with a silver cup for his outstanding work in promoting international friendship and mutual understanding between the U.S. and Japan. In 2000, Anderson Japanese Gardens was rated the #2 Japanese Garden in North America and Europe by the Roth Journal of Japanese Gardening.“

How many people visit the gardens?
Approximately 30,000 people visit each year.

When did the gardens open to the public?
John Anderson decided to share his beautiful gardens with the public, and in 1983 Anderson Japanese Gardens began offering guided tours for groups by appointment. A few years later, guided tours for individuals were offered by appointment one day per week. In 1997, the gardens began offering self-guided tours to walk-in visitors seven days per week. Guided tours are still available by reservation.

Who designed the gardens?
Hoichi Kurisu, a graduate of Tokyo's Waseda University and a pupil of Kenzo Ogata, one of Japan's most respected landscape designers. Hoichi originally moved to the U.S. in 1968 to serve as Director of Landscaping for the Japanese section of Washington Park Gardens in Portland, Oregon. Today, he owns a Portland based landscape design construction firm. Mr. Kurisu returns to Rockford each spring and fall for a week or more to design, build and recondition the Garden's landscaping.

What about the Japanese style buildings?
The 16th century Sukiya style guesthouse, teahouse, and gazebo were built by master carpenter Masahiro Hamada of Tokyo.

What's the origin of some of the Japanese artifacts?
The stone lantern is a gift from Hoichi Kurisu, the garden's designer; it was designed by Futura Oribe, great tea master and feudal lord from 1542 to 1615. The deer chase is a gift of Morinaga Milk Industry Co. of Tokyo. The snow-viewing lantern is a gift of Isamu and Akira Ohno of Tokyo. Mr. Ohno is president of Morinaga Milk Industry Co.

Is there any wildlife in the garden?
Yes! In addition to native species, there are hundreds of Japanese koi (colorful hybrid carp) and Chinese grass carp. Other fauna include ducks, geese, largemouth bass, bluegills, crayfish, turtles and an extraordinary number of rabbits and chipmunks! The Garden is also a great bird watching spot. Many songbirds stop here on their annual migrations.

Is there a story behind the West Waterfall?
It took three years to build the five-story structure, plus 700 tons of boulders and 250 cubic yards of concrete. The base is a 20 ton steel wall and 1,600 gallons of water circulate through the falls each minute. It was designed to magnify the sound of the falling water, and looks as if it's always been here.

Why aren't there many flowers in the garden?
There are a few flowering plants in the garden; in the spring you will see tree peonies, flowering crab apples and Yoshino Cherries, as well as a variety of rhododendrons and azaleas. Summer time brings Siberian and Japanese iris blooms. Japanese gardening style emphasizes the various textures as well as shades and shapes of trees and shrubs. Autumn is a particularly colorful time to visit the gardens; many of the trees and shrubs were selected for their brilliant fall colors.

Why are there angels in a Japanese Garden?
The 3 large cast bronze angel sculptures were created by Swedish sculptor Charles Milles. They were purchased in honor of John Anderson's parents, donated to the Rockford Art Museum, and are on permanent loan to Anderson Japanese Gardens. They are located Garden of Reflection. John Anderson's grandparents emigrated from Sweden in the 1880's.

What is the Event Pavilion used for?
It can be rented for weddings, business seminars, or luncheons. It is also used extensively for Christian Ministry for concerts, meetings, and worship services. Call the office for rental questions.

Why aren't the plants labeled in the Garden?
Anderson Japanese Gardens was not developed as an arboretum or botanical garden. The Gardens inspiration is in the traditional garden style known as Chisen Kai Yu Shiki which appeared in Japan primarily during the Edo period, from the 16th to 19th centuries. This style is characterized as a Strolling Pond or Lake Graden style. Numbers and labels in the garden would detract from the overall effect. Anderson Japanese Gardens is in the process of putting together a plant directory of the gardens, complete with photos, descriptions, and botanical information.