The Orange County Japanese Garden and Tea House is located in Santa Ana, California, within the Orange County Civic Center and adjacent to the county courthouse.
Proposed by Hitoshi Nitta and the nonprofit Japanese American Community Services in 1969, the garden and tea house were intended as a way to express appreciation to Orange County for welcoming the return of Japanese Americans who had been interned during World War II.
YouTube: OC Japanese Garden & Teahouse: 50th Anniversary
An impressive 130-year-old pine tree marks the entrance to the garden.
The central feature is what I believe to be Podocarpus macrophyllus, commonly known as the Buddhist pine or yew plum pine.
The large boulders are reminiscent of those found in traditional Japanese karesansui (dry landscape) gardens. However, the extensive use of large pebbles is somewhat unique. Although large, rounded, pebbles are often used along the edge of a pond or lake, here they appear to symbolize the entire body of imagined water.
The seating is not typical of a traditional tea house. However, given that this garden is located within a busy civic center frequented by county employees and the public, it provides a tranquil place for people to sit and relax, thereby accomplishing a purpose similar to that of a more traditional Japanese garden.
The surrounding landscape complements the traditional architecture, creating a more balanced Japanese aesthetic within the otherwise expansive concrete setting of the civic center.
Overall, the garden, when considered together with the historical context of why it was built, is an excellent example of how a Japanese garden can promote reflection and healing, making it well worth a visit.
