About Our Garden
In 1985, groundbreaking took place for this 7.5 acre Japanese garden. The vision was for “an oasis of serenity.”

The Mizumoto Japanese Garden in Nathanael Greene Park is demonstrative of the “stroll” variety. It takes advantage of techniques typical of tea gardens, using stepping stones, lanterns, and a tea hut to act as architectural features to enhance the landscape. Movement through the garden is around ponds and islands, employing the “hide and reveal” concept in which the individual scenes in the garden are experienced separately.

A Japanese Garden must always have one thing -- rocks. A garden may be created without water, mounds, grass, or even plants, but it must always have rocks. In Japan, rocks are objects that demand attention. They are viewed with much consideration and reverence. This can be attributed to the history, mythology, and topography of the country. Nearly two-thirds of Japan is covered by mountains.

A true Japanese Garden always maintains as its basis the essence of nature. Although the basic structure of the garden is constant, change is always evident through the passing of seasons, weathering and aging. The design should require the viewer to go beyond the physical surface to complete the picture in his or her mind.

The Garden design demonstrates the Zen influence in Japanese culture. The best way to describe Zen is that it is a sense of realization, of feeling. A garden is seen as a direct expression of ones’ attitude toward his environment, and we invite you to experience the peaceful setting of Springfield's own Mizumoto Japanese Garden.

Botanical Development
We have come a long way in the last few years toward the development of the Garden. The trees have now reached a maturity that offers a shade cover, which allows us to plant some varieties of plants that do not tolerate direct sun. With the help of the Botanical Society of Southwest Missouri (a not-for-profit group whose primary purpose is to assist the Springfield Park Board in the development of the Garden) important features such as a Moon Bridge and Tea House have been added.

Site of Annual Japanese Fall Festival
The Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden hosts the annual Japanese Fall Festival held the weekend after Labor Day, 2400 South Scenic. Festivities traditionally include visitors from Isesaki, Japan who appear as street entertainers, and perform traditional and folk dance routines. Festival highlights include traditional crafts and tea ceremonies at the lake-side Tea House, an evening candlelight walk, and a hands-on activity center for children. Past years perfomances included a martial arts demonstration using Japanese swords, performances by the Children’s Choir of Southwest Missouri and performances by Springfield's Sister City representatives to Isesaki's own yearly Festival in Japan.
Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children under 12 years.
The festival hours are usually Friday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Garden’s Operating Hours
The Garden is open April 1 through Oct. 31. Open hours are Thursday through Monday, 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Admission is $3 for adults and free for children 12 and under.

We are available to answer questions about the Garden, set up tours or explain how you can become involved with the Botanical Society. Candlelight Walks are held twice a year as a special feature when the Garden is filled with hundreds of candles and luminaries. Please call 864-1049 for more information.

Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden Location
The Garden is located in Southwest Springfield in the Nathanael Greene Park - South of Sunshine, East of Scenic, West of Kansas Expressway, North of Battlefield Road. This Park is directly East and across from Horton-Smith Golf Course. The maps below appear as if you are looking from the South to the North.

Once you are in the parking lot, here is the Garden layout. The top of this map is North.