Japanese Friendship Garden

beautiful place to stroll

I’ve always thought this was one of the nicest places to relax in all of Lawrence, especially in the spring when the trees are in bloom. Its not very big so don’t expect to have a BBQ there but if you’re strolling around downtown and need to sit for a minute, this is the place to do it. Also, its open until 11:30 PM so its a great place to relax after dinner on a warm night. Enjoy!

The Japanese Friendship Garden was built to honor the relationship between Lawrence and its sister city of Hiratsuka, Japan.
How did they become sisters? Is Hiratsuka a similar blend of hippie and hipster, of rural sentimentality and big city liberalism?
Don’t ask that. This is not a review of Hiratsuka, ok? This is about friendship. And gardens. And really small rocks arranged in an ostensibly Japanese way.
Downtown Lawrence offers a lot of sitting space. Benches and patios and the gazebo in South Park. And more sitting is what the Friendship Garden can offer you. And rocks. There is an arbor and a modest bench. If no one’s sleeping on it, it’s all yours.
Pretend to meditate to the sound of water or escape to these tranquil waters from the next-​door Watkins museum for a furtive smoke. The choice is yours.