• The Japanese Garden is a tourist attraction originally designed by Japanese garden expert Kinsaku Nakane, featuring elements of Japanese architecture and landscaping such as rocks, stone benches and ponds. Construction of the garden cost S$3 million, and at the time of its opening in the 1970s, it was the largest Japanese-style garden outside Japan.
• While the garden was being built, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan visited Singapore and planted Japanese Cycad trees in the garden in 1970.
• In 1973, Dr Goh Keng Swee, then Minister of Defence, officiated at the opening ceremony of the Japanese Garden.
• In 1986, a Chinese-style bridge designed by Professor Yuan Cheng-yin, a Chinese landscape engineer from Taiwan, was constructed to link the Japanese and Chinese Gardens.
• In 2019, the Japanese Garden was closed for renovation works.

The National Parks Board recently announced the closure of the Japanese Garden and Chinese Garden from 31 May 2019 to 2021 for redevelopment. Upon reopening, both gardens will be integrated with Lakeside Garden to become Singapore’s third national park, Jurong Lake Gardens. (Lianhe Zaobao, 1/6/2019)