"Dotted with vivid Japanese maples in fall, delicate pearl-pink weeping cherry trees in spring, fairytale-worthy bridges, shimmering pools teeming with koi, and traditional structures like the Kashintei Tea House, the Portland Japanese Garden feels like another, far more serene, dimension. But don’t just take it from us. Even Nobuo Matsunaga, former Japanese Ambassador, declared it “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” Your main objective here is to spend at least an hour, preferably two, strolling the gently curved pathways and just generally blissing out. City sightseeing can be intense, so if you need a break from the downtown bustle, this is the place to have a moment of Zen—not to mention a birds'-eye view of downtown from the Pavilion garden." - Jen Stevenson
