Materials from Four Countries, Spirit from One

Every element was sourced with obsessive care. Roughly a thousand tonnes of rocks were hand-selected from Corsica (porphyry and cipolin), Auvergne (granite), and the Tinée Valley in the Maritime Alps (limestone). Japanese gardeners and Monaco's own horticultural team journeyed across these regions to mark each boulder for its destined position.↗↗

All structural timber—the tea house, entrance gate, and covered terrace—was pre-assembled in Japan, shipped to Monaco, and re-erected by Japanese craftspeople. The bamboo hedges, roof tiles from Awaji Island, and stone lanterns are all authentic Japanese imports. Meanwhile, the plant palette draws from Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, and France: species from the Mediterranean basin, South America, Australia, Africa, and Asia grow side by side, pruned and trained over three years by Beppu himself so they carry a convincingly Japanese silhouette. Each spring the Master still makes the crossing to oversee their care.↗↗

What to Look For

The garden unfolds as a sequence of scenes. The pond, home to koi, water lilies, and lotus flowers, is the visual centre around which everything else radiates. Follow the stream past mossy stones to the cascade, then up the miniature mountain that anchors the far end. Cross small arched bridges—some stone, some wood—over the water, pause at the tea house, and notice the dry Zen garden where raked gravel invites stillness.↗↗

Informational panels beside each notable element explain the provenance of materials and the traditions behind them, making this one of the rare Japanese gardens in Europe that doubles as a cultural classroom. The asymmetrical layout ensures no two sightlines repeat; every turn reveals a new arrangement of stone, water, and leaf.↗↗

Visiting

Admission is free, and the garden is open every day: 9 AM to 6 PM from November through March, extending to 7 PM from April through October. It sits between the Grimaldi Forum and the Larvotto beachfront, easily combined with a stroll along the sea or a visit to the adjacent cultural centre. The entrance is wheelchair-accessible, public restrooms are on-site, and it is a popular spot for families.↗↗↗

The garden regularly hosts Japanese cultural events and exhibitions, deepening the ongoing dialogue between Monaco and Japan. It was honoured on a 2011 postage stamp in the "Flowers and Gardens" philatelic series, and is maintained under ecological principles certified by Ecocert's EVE label—a quiet reminder that even a constructed paradise can tread lightly.↗↗

Nearby Green Spaces

If the garden whets your appetite for Monaco's horticultural side, the Exotic Garden clings to a cliff above the old town, the Madone Greenhouse showcases rare alpine and Mediterranean plants, and the citrus garden at Palais Carnolès in nearby Menton rounds out a trio of very different landscapes within easy reach.↗