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UniSQ Japanese Garden

Japanese Garden

Opened in 1989, the Japanese Garden covers over three hectares and features a central lake adorned with traditional red Japanese bridges that extend to three distinct islands.

The Japanese Garden on the northern side of the University of Southern Queensland’s Toowoomba campus is an intrinsic piece of the region’s historic connection to beautiful gardens and horticulture.

One of Australia’s largest and most traditionally designed Japanese stroll gardens, the Garden is also known as Ju Raku En, meaning ‘to enjoy peace and longevity in a public place’, and features 230 species of Japanese and Australian native trees and plants.

Jointly owned by the University of Southern Queensland and the Toowoomba Regional Council, the maturing Garden is a beautiful space of peace and tranquility and is a popular venue for weddings and other significant events – securing the location as an emblem of the Toowoomba community. The Japanese Garden is open daily from 6am (AEST) to dusk.

Japanese Garden map

Japanese Garden features

The Japanese Garden ('Ju Raku En') is one of Australia's largest and most traditionally designed Japanese stroll garden. It was opened on 21 April 1989 by Mr Yoshiharu Araki from the Brisbane Consul-General of Japan. Ju Raku En is a relatively young garden and it will take many years for it to be considered complete. 

The garden emphasise the use of rocks to create three dimensional pictures in stone. All the large rocks in Ju Raku En were accurately placed by the designer of the garden, Professor Kinsaku Nakane of Kyoto, so as to appear naturally dispersed in a random way.

Ju Raku En is a presentation of Buddhist paradise with the celestial sea (the lake) lapping the rocky shores of the three islands where the immortals are said to dwell. The material world is the outer edge of the lake and a symbolic journal to paradise may be made by crossing one of the four bridges to the islands.

Notable features of this unique Japanese Garden include:

  • a central lake, mountain stream and waterfalls
  • cherry blossom trees
  • bamboo avenue
  • wisteria arbour
  • dry garden
  • azalea hill
  • tea house
  • 230 species of Japanese and Australian native trees and plants. 

Facilities available to enjoy while visiting the garden include:

  • picnic facilities and shaded pavilions
  • 3 kilometers of paths
  • a variety of seating options near and around the central lake
  • toilet amenities
  • easy to access parking at UniSQ near the southern entry gate.

The Japanese Garden is a popular venue for weddings and other special occasions. Spring weddings are often held under the mass of lilac blossoms hanging from the Wisteria Pergola, while other couples choose to be married in front of the waterfall or under the viewing pavilion on one of the islands. 

To book the garden for a wedding or event, please contact UniSQ Facilities Management.

Aerial view of a lush park with intersecting pathways, various trees, and a pond at UniSQ's Japanese Garden. Japanese Garden Tea House. UniSQ's Japanese Garden with a red bridge over a pond, surrounded by lush greenery and trees under a clear blue sky. A Zen garden with carefully raked gravel patterns, large stones, and lush green shrubs at UniSQ Japanese Garden. Cherry blossom trees in bloom by a pond, with people walking and sitting on the grass under a clear blue sky at UniSQ's Japanese Garden. The iconic red bridge at UniSQ's Japanese Garden. Aerial view of a winding wooden bridge over a pond, with gardens and sparse trees on either side, and a small gazebo on an island in the center at UniSQ Toowoomba Japanese Garden.