Japan House, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Review written 12/28/2024. It's like a slice of heaven. Absolutely beautiful area to walk. Strikingly gorgeous. Feels like walking out of central Illinois into Japan. Lots of birds singing in the trees, very well kept trees and landscaping. Pretty sculptures. A downside of this area is there's no portapotty or bathroom in sight so if you need to use the restroom, plan accordingly. Another downside is that sometimes you can smell the nearby farm animals manure in the air when walking here. But overall this is a beautiful and unique place.

best time to visit: March - May when the cherryblossoms bloom

I love coming for walks here. It's always so pretty.

The garden looks very beautiful and peaceful. It is free to see the garden and I would give it 5 stars. However, I would never recommend their tea ceremonies. Although we had to pay $17 for the student tickets, which I would happily pay to attend a good tea ceremony, they were not even wearing traditional clothing such as kimono, which is a minimum expectation from this cultural event. Also, the host did not seem to be nice to everyone (at least to us) and did not have a welcoming attitude. They seemed to be in a rush to finish the show as well. I would expect a much better effort from people presenting the culture of a country, especially a country like Japan with such a rich culture.

Yearly tradition to see these trees blossom. No matter the weather, it is worth the trip. Pay attention to their website for appropriate timing as to what days are best for viewing. But if you haven't been hear in the spring time, definitely make a point to stop by. There is a lot of walking paths, and lots of koi fish populated in the waters on-site. Glad to see this area has been getting the care and preservation that it deserves. Already looking forward to next year.

Best place in University area. Good place for running, walking, cycling and enjoying the nature. You can play free hand games on the opened premises. Good place for walking pets. In winter, you can skate on ice on the hills.

An amazing place at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign campus. Nice walking trail, lots of trees as well as flowers. This year it is exceptional that we didn't see lots of fall colors here. In the previous few years, there were mesmerizing fall colors. Throughout the year, this place is so calm and beautiful. The Japan house always makes me feel refreshed and energized. Absolute beauty and must visit here in the Urbana-Champaign area.

This is such a gorgeous spot! I make a point to run through the surrounding park every time I'm in town, and this is definitely a highlight.