UH Manoa Japanese gardens and campus

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Description

The Japanese gardens near the East-West Center at UH Manoa are a sanctuary of green lawns, pretty plants, and a pond filled with koi. There is a Pink Cassia tree that was planted by the Prince and Princess of Japan in 1961. The garden is sunken, and often you are the only person there, which adds to the peaceful atmosphere.
Walk further uphill on East-West Road and you will get to the Center for Korean Studies, a colorful building built in 1972. Walk back down East-West Rd a little and cross the street. Walk through the campus under a canopy of monkeypod trees. Look behind you to see the beautiful mountains that tower over the campus. You will arrive at a circular drive. Continue on- Hawaii Hall will be on your right. The Campus Center will be on your left and you can pick up a brochure from the tickets window of the rare trees to be found on the campus.
On the other side of Hawaii Hall, find a large green lawn surrounded on all sides by some lovely colonial-style Hawaiian buildings. Hawaii Hall is one of the most majestic.
Cross back to the other side of the road and walk toward the library. Opposite the library is Manoa Gardens, an eatery currently supplied by Bale Sandwiches. On Thursday nights during the school year they have live bands playing there and graduate students drink beer on the outside tables. It's a lively scene.
Explore the beautiful college town of Manoa while you're here. Surrounded by high mountain ridges and gifted with huge rainbows that span the entire sky nearly every afternoon, Manoa is a magical place with groovy coffee shops, natural hippie grocery stores, and a strong sense of place. There are two delightful parks with playgrounds: the mystical feeling University Avenue Park and Manoa Valley Park which is incredibly lush with gorgeous mountain views. You could also take a muddy slippery hike to the stunning Manoa Falls.
For another wonderful and inexpensive garden check out Foster Botanical Garden.

Photo Gallery

It rains a little every day in Manoa, the valley of the rainbows. When I lived there, I really saw a rainbow every day.	Plumeria trees above the Japanese Gardens.	The colorful Center for Korean Studies.
Graceful Hawaii Hall and the huge green lawn in front.

Directions

To get to the Japanese gardens, exit the H1 freeway at University Ave. Turn right onto University Ave. Turn right again onto Dole St. Turn left at East West Rd. There will be a pay booth just up the road. Pay $3 for parking and ask them where to park. The Japanese gardens are behind the Hawaii Imim International Conference Center, the large building on the right just up from the pay booth.

This is an interactive map, you can zoom and move it.

Visitor Ratings

Overall Visitor Rating:

Peter 10/06/2009 14:45

WARRIORS! YAY!