Yashiro Japanese Garden

Yashiro Japanese Garden is a Japanese garden located in Olympia, Washington. Designed by Robert Murase and dedicated on May 6, 1990, the garden was created to symbolize the relationship between Olympia and its sister city of Yashiro, Japan.

History

The park was created by the Olympia-Yashiro Sister City Association and opened in 1990 after a combined seven-year planning and labor effort. Meant to honor the connection between sister cities, Olympia and Yashiro, the park was designed by Robert Murase. The garden was specifically designed to symbolize the importance of various interconnected motifs, such as human compassion and friendship, land stewardship, nature, and spirituality.
The gardens were part of a land sale to the Squaxin Indian Tribe in 2025. The park is planned to be razed for future development, necessitating a relocation.

Features

The Japanese-styled garden features public art, an -tall granite pagoda, a sculpted garden and landscape with koi pond, and symbolic features between the two cities. The town of Yashiro donated several items, including stone lanterns and cedar entrance gates constructed in the Japanese carpentry fashion without the use of nails.