Holland Park was where Holland House used to be, almost all gone destroyed during the Second World War.
Now the park is actually home to two Japanese gardens. The first is called Kyoto Garden and was opened in 1992 on the occasion of the Japan festival which was held in London that year.
As a token of friendship between Japan and Britain, in 1991 the city of Kyoto gifted the Holland Park neighborhood with a beautiful tiered waterfall, a tranquil pond filled with koi carp, and vibrant flowering trees.
The garden was made by a well-known Japanese gardener following Zen principles.
In the garden you will find a pond in which Koi fish swim, in its center a waterfall with water falling on several rocks purposely placed to get the best effect. You will see everything better from the wooden bridge.
Peacocks roam freely around the pond. The best time to visit the garden is probably autumn when the maple trees become particularly colourful.
The second garden is called Fukushima Memorial Garden and was opened in 2012 to thank the help received from the British after the terrible earthquake in Fukushima. It is located right next to the Kyoto Garden.
The garden is open every day from 10am to 6pm in summer and 4pm in winter.
The park is even more special as it houses an Ecological Center which offers various activities, events and educational trips for local schools.
