Phoenix, Arizona.
It has the name RoHoEn, the Japanese Friendship Garden in downtown Phoenix. The joint project of the City of Phoenix and Himeji, Japan (Phoenix sister city) has a mission to maintain a beautiful, serene Japanese garden. They have truly succeeded. The 3.5-acre garden has a large pond, a tea garden, and a tea house. It was our first visit to the garden and we found it most enjoyable to wander along the walkways. By design, “…the viewer is led to uncover intentionally hidden views of the landscape while strolling along its curved paths.”
Photographers need to be aware that there is a strictly enforced policy involving commercial photography or even amateur photography that uses even a tripod or that involves the structured posing of people being photographed. The garden’s policy offers reserved times and charges a fee for things like wedding photography, family or group photos, etc.
The policy makes allowances for social media, however, and it is under this guidance that I am sharing the above image. From their Photo Policy page here: Still, we recognize that people like to take pictures, and everyone has a high-quality camera in his/her pocket nowadays. We love seeing guests tag us on social media; however, anything beyond a quick snap is subject to review by our Garden staff.
About the photo: At the suggestion of blogger Marsha Ingrao, I am also submitting this photo as part of the #SundayStills challenge, #Water, announced last Sunday, May 2. More about Sunday Stills can be found here.
Coincidentally, this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge theme is Gardens, so I am also considering this post as a preview of my usual Thursday response. You can read Amy’s challenge post here.
Captured with my Samsung S20U, this snapshot of the waterfall and Koi pond reflects the beauty and tranquility of the garden. The Japanese Friendship Garden is truly a beautiful place to spend a few hours in restful contemplation. The image was processed with Adobe Lightroom and Luminar AI.
John Steiner
Flare Legend Adventures
How lovely! Coincidentally I just posted about Japanese gardens too so I recognise this as a ‘strolling garden’ or Kaiyu-shiki teien 🙂
You obviously have more expertise in this area than I. That’s a term I am unfamiliar with, but clearly, having walked the garden, RoHoEn fits the model quite nicely.
Not expertise, but after visiting so many gardens in Japan I read up about them a bit 🙂
How fun to see you twice this week John! Didn’t realize this garden was in Phoenix – will definitely add it to my list for our next visit. Gorgeous image!
It is a small garden that takes only a short time to walk… but that’s not the purpose, find a bench and spend some contemplative time in the garden.
I did notice the Friendship Garden is missing a red bridge, but there is a bridge to get a closeup view of the koi pond.
I’ve been to Phoenix many times, but I had no idea this garden existed. Lovely!
Japanese gardens are beautiful. This looks great.
At some point, I’ll share some more images I captured in the garden.
That would be great. I visited one in Poland that was beautiful. I don’t know of any near where we live.
I have only been to two, this one in Phoenix, and a garden that is one of the gardens inside of the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. That 14-acre garden is the largest Japanese garden in the United States.
I’d love to visit them.
What a beautiful Japanese garden, John!
Indeed it is.
I really enjoyed reading Marsha’s interview with you. 😀 😀
Thanks! It was a fun project to do the interview and get the opportunity to share some of my images for a different audience.
Japanese gardens are beautiful and smart. There is a lot of knowledge and meaning in their making. It’s good that you photographed despite the so-called policy, soon we will have to ask for permission to breathe.
I’m wondering if they will “have a cow” if I put together an entire blog post on the garden. I used my cell phone for all of those. We’ll see when I get ready to publish that post. >grin<
Your posts are the best ads they can dream of!
I love the beauty and serenity of Japanese gardens. Lisa and I toured the Japanese garden in Portland. Impressed by its beauty. Thanks for sharing this post.
I will have to check out their garden the next time we get out west.
Beautiful image John!
Thank you!!
Wow. So green! In Phoenix?!?!
It is. I’m sure they spend a ton of $$$$ on water to keep the garden green.