The Japanese Garden: a piece of Japan in The Hague

The Japanese Garden in Clingendael Park in The Hague is truly a special place. This mysterious garden can also only be visited for 8 weeks a year! On Saturday, April 27, the gate will open again for the first time this year. Here you can already enjoy a little of all the beauty.

Only open 8 weeks a year

The Japanese Garden is only open eight weeks a year: six weeks in the spring and two weeks in the fall. This is when the garden is at its most beautiful and the public can finally enjoy it. The garden is full of rare plants and trees, making it very fragile. Therefore, you are supposed to stay on the path, do not pick anything, dogs are not allowed and baby carriages or electric vehicles are not allowed in either. Wheelchairs are welcome but unfortunately you cannot go everywhere with them. There is a separate entrance in the garden for them.

A special piece of Japan in The Hague

All these lines made me curious. Surely I had to visit the showpiece of Clingendael once. Especially since I don’t live far from The Hague myself. Funnily enough, I had never even been to park Clingendael! So when we didn’t know what to do on Ascension Day last year, the choice was easily made. Because of the day off, the park did get crowded. But it was certainly not annoyingly crowded. If you want to enjoy this beautiful garden at your leisure, it is advisable to go on a weekday. Do go before on June 9, otherwise you will miss the boat and have to wait until October 12.

Beautiful flowers and lovely scents

The entrance road to the Japanese Garden was already beautiful! For example, there were orange rhododendrons, something I have never seen before. The whole park smelled deliciously of flowers and trees. That so close to the busy city! You really feel like you are completely out of it. For that reason alone, visiting Clingendael and the Japanese Garden is highly recommended. Just outside the Japanese Garden is a cozy tea garden: IJgenweis. We skipped that one because the whole terrace was packed.

Bit mysterious

Our eight-year-old son was not really expecting a boring park at first, but fortunately he loved it there too. Upon entering, for example, he discovered a huge tree where people had hung all kinds of funny wishes and dolls, and my big animal friend enjoyed all the dogs playing. He was especially impressed by the huge bunker in the middle of the park. The sign next to it indicated that it was a winter home for bats. He thought that was totally cool. He happy, we happy.

We will definitely come back

This is certainly not the last time we will visit park Clingendael. I also definitely want to return to the Japanese Garden, but on a different day and at a different time. Maybe in the fall! The Japanese Garden is open this year from April 27 through June 9 and from October 12 through October 27.