The first Japanese garden I visited was - I believe - back in Berlin-Marzahn. As part of the Gardens of the World project, the Japanese garden struck me as particularly interesting. This was not due to the size of the garden nor was it due to the floral arrangements. What captivated me was simply the unity of how the garden was constructed as a whole. A place meant to convey serenity.
Later, when I went to Kyoto for a semester abroad in 2006, I visited many Japanese gardens, usually attached to a larger temple complex. Some where famous for their stone gardens others simply beautiful on their own. It was then, when I developed a thorough interest in Japanese gardens.
Not surprisingly, Japanese gardens are to be found all over the world, be it in the United States, in Europe, or elsewhere. One of the Japanese gardens located in Germany can be found in Leverkusen, the city that is famous for being the HQ of the large German pharmaceutical company Bayer.
It was one of the directors of that company (and who has now a foundation named after him), who initiated the creation of the Japanese garden in Leverkusen: Carl Duisberg.
The garden itself is rather small and part of a larger park area within the south of Leverkusen.
Stone bridge over a pond.
Small waterfall.
It has the famous Japanese stone lanterns (Tourou, 灯籠)...
... and a teahouse, which was not opened during my visit.
Gate at the entrance of a bridge.
Comments