There is no-doubt that the Anderson Japanese Gardens is one of the best Japanese gardens in North America. I made the trip to Rockford, Illinois to see if it was truly #1 as once ranked by Sukiya Living Magazine (JOJG).
The garden was first constructed in 1978 by John Anderson, a businessman who had been inspired by a visit to the Japanese Portland Garden. With the help of Japanese garden designer Hoichi Kurisu, the Andersons transformed their backyard into a magnificent Japanese style garden.
The garden has expanded considerably since 1978. My photos below show the original portion of the garden. The more recent additions to the garden, seemingly added to cater to the "wedding party" customers looking for photo shoot backdrops, I have left out.
Website: https://andersongardens.org/
Overall, the garden was magnificent. The gardeners who manage the site should be commended for the efforts. I spent the better part of the day there strolling around and it was well worth the time and effort to visit. However, I can not say definitively that its my #1 choice. There are some elements that are excellent, and the authenticity without question. However, there are other gardens that I have visited that have equally good features. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the experience. One of the top 5 that I've seen in North America so far.
