Japanese Garden, Tashkent

The garden reflects the long and close ties between Uzbekistan and Japan. After the Second World War, thousands of Japanese prisoners of war were held in Uzbekistan and worked on construction projects, including, according to the usual account, the Navoi Theatre in Tashkent. Some died here, and Japanese cemeteries in Tashkent and other cities are maintained as memorials. Since independence, Japan has been an important partner of Uzbekistan in culture, education and development.

The garden was created in the early 2000s with Japanese participation, as a symbol of friendship between the two countries. It was laid out according to the principles of traditional Japanese garden design, adapted to the climate of Tashkent.

• The pond, the heart of the garden, with koi carp, water lilies and small islands.
• Bridges, including an arched wooden bridge in Japanese style, a favourite place for photographs.
• Waterfalls and streams running between rocks.
• Stone lanterns and carefully placed stones and pebbles.
• A tea house in Japanese style, sometimes open for tea or events.
• Trees and shrubs: sakura (Japanese cherry), maples, pines, azaleas and irises, chosen for their seasonal colour.

Paths wind around the pond so that the view changes at every turn, a key principle of Japanese garden design. Benches invite you to sit quietly.

• Spring (late March to April): cherry trees and other fruit trees blossom, the most popular time, when many locals come for photographs.
• Late spring and summer: irises and water lilies flower; the garden is green and shady, pleasant on hot days.
• Autumn (October to November): maples turn red and gold.

The garden is often busy with wedding parties taking photographs, especially on weekends. They make a lively spectacle; be discreet with your camera. For quiet, come on a weekday morning.

A traditional Japanese garden is designed to represent nature in miniature: water stands for the sea and rivers, stones for mountains and islands, and trees and shrubs for forests. Paths are laid out so that visitors discover new views as they walk, and elements are arranged asymmetrically to look natural. Seasonal change is central: blossom in spring, fresh green in summer, red leaves in autumn and the bare structure of branches and stones in winter. Look for these ideas as you walk around the pond; the garden is meant to be enjoyed slowly.

Location: in the north of Tashkent, on Amir Timur Avenue, near the TV tower.

Getting there: by metro to Bodomzor station on the Yunusobod line, then a short walk, or by taxi. See the Tashkent metro.

Tickets: a small entrance fee.

Opening hours: daily, from morning to evening; hours may be shorter in winter.

Time needed: 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Rules: the garden is well kept; do not walk on lawns, feed the fish without permission, or pick flowers.

Combine with: the TV tower and the Memorial to the Victims of Repression, the Botanical garden and the Minor mosque on the canal, for a half day in the north of the city.

Gardens have a long history in Central Asia: Timur laid out great gardens around Samarkand, and his descendant Babur created the gardens of the Mughal empire in India. The Japanese garden is a modern addition to this tradition in Tashkent, a city that prides itself on its greenery, its parks and its tree-lined avenues.