Ishigaki Wall & Accessible Pathway

PROJECT SCHEDULE
Work on the north wall replacement is scheduled from June to November 2026. The Garden will be closed June 22 to July 26 for demolition and removal of the old retaining wall. Visit the Japanese Garden website for regular project updates.

Repairing a Historic Garden Feature

The centuries-old technique of stone wall-building is fast becoming a lost art in Japan. Replacing the Seattle Japanese Garden’s deteriorating north wall will preserve a historic feature and help sustain the invaluable craft of ishigaki. The project also includes infrastructure repairs and the addition of an accessible walkway, ensuring all visitors can safely navigate the Garden and be immersed in its beauty for generations to come.

Project Goals

• Build a wall of lasting beauty using a time-honored Japanese masonry technique
• Enable all visitors to access and enjoy the beloved shoreline area
• Offer a uniquely Seattle, contemplative garden experience for generations to come

Improvements

• Design: The skillful wall construction elevates the immersive quality of the whole garden.
• Accessibility: The uneven path becomes part of a looped wheelchair and stroller-friendly walkway.
• Safety: Navigable walkways are protected by retaining walls built to last for centuries.

TIMELINE: Project construction is scheduled for June to November 2026.

Project Timeline and Garden Impacts

Project construction is scheduled for June to November 2026. It will cause some disruption to visitor enjoyment of the Japanese Garden this year, and we apologize in advance. This includes the full closure of the Garden for much of July so that workers can remove the old basalt wall. The construction of the new Ishigaki wall will also create noise that might interfere with normal visitor enjoyment of the Garden’s serenity. Visit the Japanese Garden website for regular project news and updates.

Japanese Garden project rendering by Hoshide Wanzer Achitects/Berger Partnership.

Project Details

The ishigaki stone rampart wall will be created by Suminori Awata, one of the last remaining stonemasons of his 15-generation lineage, with support from U.S.-based artisans. Each ishigaki is formed with enormous granite boulders that are split and shaped by hand into foundational cornerstones. Smaller stones top the cornerstones, with ballast stones filling the gaps instead of mortar. Awata directs the precise placement of each stone, explaining that he “listens to the stones and puts them where they want to go.” These magnificent structures often stand for centuries.

As a crucial part of this project, the nearby walkways will be regraded and built to be accessible, allowing the Garden to become even more inclusive and restorative to the 100,000 guests visiting annually from our local communities and across the globe.

As Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Arboretum Foundation plan for the replacement of the wall and connecting stairs, they worked with Hoshide Wanzer and Berger Partnership to complete a schematic design for the entire north section of the Garden to ensure that the rebuilt walls will dovetail well with future plans for a pavilion and its surroundings.

Support the Project

BUDGET: $2.7 million.

To make a gift to the project, visit our donate page and add “Japanese Garden Wall Project” to the comments section of the donation form. For more information about the project, please email Anna O’Donnell, Director of Development, at aodonnell@arboretumfoundation.org.

Project Partners and Lead Donors

This project is made possible through a strong partnership and the generosity of lead supporters. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the donors whose leadership gifts are bringing this project to life:

Aldarra Foundation ♦ Steve & Peggy Garber ♦ Bill & Virginia Goldberg ♦ Japanese Garden Society ♦ The Norcliffe Foundation ♦ Doug & Noriko Palmer ♦ Suzanne Ragen ♦ Steve Alley & Amy Scott ♦ Patti & Michael Brawer ♦ Larry Hubbell & Shelley Butler ♦ Gail & Ron Irving ♦ Susie Marglin ♦ Keiko Minami ♦ Maribeth O’Connor & Chuck Nordhoff ♦ Cam & Tori Ragen ♦ John Reed & Karen Overstreet ♦ Bob & Mary Ann Wiley

Related links:

• Seattle Parks and Recreation Project Page
• Seattle Japanese Garden Project Page
• “Japan’s Stone Wall Culture from Ancient Times to Today,” Japanese Garden Blog, June 20, 2025.
• “Seattle Japanese Garden to close for construction this summer,” The Seattle Times, April 7, 2026.
• “Designing the New Pavilion Part 1: Aspect,” Japanese Garden Blog, March 6, 2024.
• “Public Meeting Report: The Japanese Garden North Wall and Pavilion Project,” Japanese Garden Blog, November 20, 2023.
• “Arboretum Master Plan Turns 21: Accomplishments and New Projects,” Arboretum Bulletin, Fall 2022.