This is a Japanese garden review - not the Chinese garden review!

I must admit that I felt a slight disappointment during my visit to this Japanese garden, especially when comparing it to the other spectacular sections of the Montreal Botanical Gardens. Having visited many other Japanese gardens in my life, I can say that this one falls on the lower end of my favorites list. Don't get me wrong; it is still beautiful, but it simply didn't meet my expectations.

There were a few aspects that I didn't fully appreciate. Firstly, the pathways needed more upkeep. After the rain, several of them had puddles of water, making it challenging to navigate without stepping on the otherwise perfect grass.

The absence of stones was a major letdown for me. On one of the signposts, it mentioned that stones are one of the essential components of the gardens, but strangely, they were nowhere to be found except for a few in the distant waterfall cascade. I could not even see them and admire them. They were even missing from the lake! Seeing the fabric covering the bottom of the lake was very unusual and took away the magical essence that Japanese gardens are meant to evoke.

Although you can walk around the lake, half of the path goes through a thick forest, which obstructs the view of the lake. The garden features a few buildings, with the main pavilion being the most interesting one. It houses lavatories, a water fountain, and a workshop area. Additionally, there's a small bonsai exhibition in the yards, offering valuable information on cultivating bonsais.

Overall, my impression was that this was a nice manicured garden around the lake - nothing more, nothing less. I visited on a Saturday in July 2023.