Barakura English Garden
Free RHS Member days
When open
About the garden
Opened in 1990 by the Yamada family, Barakura English Garden is the first English-style garden established in Japan. Situated at an altitude of 1,100 meters in the mountainous hot spring resort area of Tateshina, it is a popular destination for hiking and skiing.
Designed by John Brookes MBE, the garden features a planting scheme coordinated by Miss Kay Yamada. It combines Japanese native plants, often used in English gardens, with foreign species and hybrids. Barakura is dedicated to promoting the principles of British horticulture.
A notable example of this commitment is the inclusion of the Kay Yamada-designed Mitsuke English Garden in the Britain-in-Bloom competition in 2024, which marks the first time a garden outside the UK has participated. The Kay Yamada Gardening School offers online lectures by British gardeners affiliated with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Kew Gardens, Oxford Botanic Gardens, and the National Trust.
As a fashion designer, Kay Yamada draws inspiration from the garden's plants to create textiles. The garden is animated by live music and you can also enjoy homemade British-style food from the café and bakery.
Facilities
- Dogs welcome
- Parking
- Plant sales
- Refreshments
- Toilets
Key features
- Wildflower meadow
- Herbaceous border
- Autumn colour
- Colour themed borders
- Cottage planting
- Winter garden
Get involved
The RHS is the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow - nurturing a healthier, happier world, one person and one plant at a time.