As the June 1 closure date for the Yashiro Japanese Garden grows closer, the City of Olympia on Friday shared its plans to preserve and relocate the garden to another public site.
“The city is taking steps now to preserve this beloved space and prepare for an eventual relocation when a new site has been determined,” the City of Olympia said in a news release.
The city announced the Yashiro Japanese Garden’s pending closure in April.
The popular garden at 1010 Plum Street SE is on the same property as the Lee Creighton Justice Center, which the City of Olympia decided to sell to the Squaxin Island Tribe in 2024.
Built in 1966, the facility no longer meets modern court standards and would have required extensive investment, according to the City of Olympia.
Municipal court services moved to Thurston County District Court in February.
Since the City of Olympia announced that the Yashiro Japanese Garden would be closing, the city said it has heard from many people who shared memories of weddings, family visits, art exhibitions, and quiet afternoon walks in the garden.
“That response has reinforced what we already know: this space holds a special place in Olympia's identity, and we are committed to carrying it forward,” the City of Olympia said in a news release.
Once the park closes on June 1, the City of Olympia will begin removing the granite pagoda and stone sculptures, many of which were gifts from Olympia’s sister city of Kato, to be kept in safe storage.
Parks staff are currently assessing which plantings are strong candidates for transplanting, and the removal timeline is being planned to give those plants the best chance of survival, according to the city.
The koi are being donated to Thurston County Correctional Facility, which has an established koi pond.
The city has until the end of 2026 to remove all elements of the Yashiro Japanese Garden from the property.
“Our goal is to preserve everything that can be saved and to use those elements as the foundation of a future garden,” the city said in a news release.
While parks staff clear out the existing garden site, the city will prepare to issue a Request for Qualifications for a landscape design firm later this year.
The city intends to select a firm with expertise in authentic Japanese garden design.
“Once a firm is selected, they will lead a public engagement process to identify a new site and develop a design, with meaningful opportunities for the public to weigh in,” the city said in a news release.
The size and character of the future garden will be shaped with public and stakeholder input, according to the city.
The city has set aside $350,000 from the Justice Center property sale to fund the Yashiro Japanese Garden planning, design and preservation work.
Construction costs will not be known until a site is selected and a design is developed, and additional funding sources, including grants and other opportunities, will be pursued as the project takes shape, according to the city.
Volunteers who currently maintain the Yashiro Japanese Garden are being connected with other park stewardship opportunities across the city, according to a news release.
For updates on the Japanese Garden relocation, visit the Yashiro Japanese Garden webpage and sign up for Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation's E-News at olympiawa.gov.
