Kyoto Garden

There are places in London where time seems to slow down, and Kyoto Garden is one of them. Tucked away within Holland Park, the garden feels like a quiet transition rather than a destination — a gentle passage from the city into stillness. The moment I enter, the noise of London fades, replaced by water, stone and carefully composed space. It never feels artificial or staged; everything appears calm, deliberate and respectful of nature. I am particularly drawn to the balance of the garden. The waterfall, the koi pond, the placement of rocks and trees — all of it feels measured and intentional, without being rigid. Even when other visitors are present, the garden retains a sense of personal space, inviting reflection rather than conversation. What I value most about Kyoto Garden is its restraint. It does not try to overwhelm or impress. It offers silence, proportion and pause. In different seasons it changes character — fresh and vivid in spring, contemplative in autumn — yet always maintains the same inner calm. For me, Kyoto Garden is a place to reset. It is not somewhere I rush through, nor somewhere I photograph excessively. It is a place to sit, observe and breathe — a reminder that harmony does not need scale or grandeur, only intention.

A Hidden Paradise in the Heart of London ​If you are looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of London's busy streets, Holland Park is arguably the city's most enchanting hidden gem. Located in the prestigious Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, this park offers a unique blend of wild woodland, manicured gardens, and exotic surprises. ​The Crown Jewel: Kyoto Garden ​The absolute highlight of the park is the Kyoto Garden. Opened in 1991 as a gift from the city of Kyoto, it is a masterpiece of Japanese landscaping. As you step inside, the atmosphere shifts instantly. The centerpiece is a tiered waterfall cascading into a pond filled with vibrant Koi carp. It is a place of profound serenity, where stone lanterns and carefully placed maples create a picture-perfect scene. ​A Botanical Wonderland ​Beyond the Japanese influence, Holland Park is a "wunderschöne Parkanlage" (beautiful park complex) known for its botanical diversity. It’s surprising to see stately palm trees thriving in the heart of London, giving the area an almost subtropical feel. Depending on the season, the park is a riot of color, particularly famous for its Camellia blossoms and the formal Dutch Garden. ​Wildlife and Atmosphere ​What truly sets Holland Park apart is its resident wildlife. It is one of the few places in London where you can regularly spot magnificent peacocks roaming freely near the Orangerie. As you stroll through the wooded sections, you'll be greeted by playful squirrels and the occasional pheasant darting through the undergrowth. ​Whether you are a photographer, a nature lover, or simply someone looking for a quiet bench to read a book, Holland Park provides a romantic and peaceful backdrop that feels worlds away from the city. Don't miss the chance to wander through this green sanctuary—it is London at its most graceful.

Kyoto Garden is a beautiful and peaceful place in the middle of London. The Japanese-style garden is very well maintained, with waterfalls, a koi pond, and carefully designed landscapes. It’s a perfect spot to relax, take photos, and escape the busy city atmosphere. Despite being popular, the park still feels calm and serene. A lovely place for a short walk, especially if you enjoy nature and Japanese gardens.

Kyoto Garden is genuinely beautiful — very calm, very Japanese vibes. The water, the layout, the greenery… the whole aesthetic is stunning. There are colourful fish swimming around, although you’re not allowed to go close, which was slightly annoying 😭 There’s also a waterfall, but you can tell it’s man-made rather than natural. Still cute though. Bonus entertainment: a random bird that absolutely did not look British (sir??? who sponsored your visa?? 💀). And the peacocks… ONE male peacock was absolutely gorgeous, fully showing off 🦚✨ while the rest were grey and boring. I tried chasing them for vibes and they ran away immediately — rude but fair. Holland Park itself has old, almost ancient-looking architecture which I really liked. Very calm, very aesthetic, perfect for a peaceful wander.

Small yet climatic garden in the very heart of the Holland Park. Do not hesitate to visit if you are passing by. Take a deep breathe and relax in the bosom of nature. Admire the pond, the waterfall, the calmness and the stillness. Be aware that you are not alone there. Squirrels, peacocks and ducks will be your best companions. Make sure not to feed them, as you may cause more harm than help. Admire from the distance, be kind and respectful.

no words. I don’t know why I hadn’t come to visit here earlier!!! the most beautiful, serene place I’ve been to in London to be honest. introvert heaven - definitely try come in the morning though it wasn’t busy when I went in the afternoon.

The Kyoto Garden is a tranquil Japanese garden located inside Holland Park in West London. It was opened in 1991 as a gift from the city of Kyoto to commemorate the long friendship between Japan and Great Britain. Key features: Waterfall & Pond Stone Lanterns & Bridges: Traditional Japanese ornaments like stone lanterns, stepping stones, and bridges are placed thoughtfully to guide visitors through the garden. Japanese Maple & cherry trees Peacocks & Wildlife: The wider Holland Park is home to peacocks that occasionally wander into the garden, adding to its charm. Zen Atmosphere: The layout emphasizes balance—carefully placed rocks, flowing water, and landscaped greenery together create a meditative space. A hidden gem in busy London—small, but beautifully crafted, peaceful, almost otherworldly setting.

One the most beautiful gardens in london, a bit crowdy but still considered as good place for chilling and picnics. Absolutely loved the japanese vibe there! Cafe is crowded as well but they serve costumers fast

Kyoto Garden is an amazing little garden in the middle of Holland Park. It's not very large so it makes it easy to wander through if you're in the area. We'll definitely return and I highly recommend, especially on a nice sunny day.

Now it makes perfect sense for a Japanese-American to gravitate toward a Japanese garden when taking a trip abroad, don't you think? Gives me a touch of the motherland. Well, Jamie W and I ventured over to Kensington to spend the day at the parks starting with the 55-acre Holland Park, a charming oasis of greenery. The main lure if you ask me (of course) was this oasis within the oasis It was a gift to London from the city of Kyoto back in 1972. Neither the cherry blossoms nor the irises were in bloom, but the design aesthetic still entranced with ponds, peacocks (photo: https://yelp.to/6qYhFeQHNi), lanterns, and quite a spectacular waterfall considering it was manmade (photo: https://yelp.to/t1m2npR4tC). Quite tranquil and lovely. RELATED - Exploring London? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3zFACrx

An amazing little garden in the midst of the expansive Holland Park. We picked this spot to have our lunch one day, not knowing how beautiful it was. We arrived and the first thing I noticed was the large koi in the pond. These colorful large fish were so beautiful to see swirling around under the water so freely. The next was the peacocks that just seem to mind their own beautiful business, just enjoying their own environment. What a beautiful home they have. From there, there are beautifully manicured plants and bonzai trees, a stone path with waterfall and benches that line the pond to sit and watch the scenery. The downside is while we were there, we watched people and children ignoring signs to stay out of the grassy areas and not feed the birds. There were many people who blocked the path near the waterfall to take dozens of photos, leaving others to wait and potentially fall in the pond trying to get around. I wished others would respect this place for the animals and others to enjoy, besides that - this was a great place to visit and enjoy a quiet moment in a busy city.

Such a cute/quaint park in London! Though tourists or wedding parties can occasionally swarm here for photos, it's a nice small area to wander through.

Having spent time in Kyoto in Japan, I went to visit Holland Park with low expectations. I chose an incredibly sunny day, in April, where the cherry blossoms in London this year are out in force. I could not have picked a better day. And the gardens are very peaceful, and extremely beautiful.

I am a big fan of japanese language and don't remember how,during some research I came across Kyoto Garden. So I just took off and visited on a sunny day It is one of the most beautiful and relaxing places in and around London. I love the waterfall and the koi fish. They are just so colourful that they actually make you feel happy just by watching them swim around. Grab a drink and some snacks and head there straight away!

Wow what a wonderful place to be! I'm on a long term visit from San Francisco, and thought I'd spend the day aimlessly walking around the city. Had lunch in Notting Hill and then stumbled upon this place after. It's a small park within Holland Park, but I love the vibe. It's so peaceful and serene, especially with the waterfall.

"Much Better Than Hyde Park" We stumbled upon this park by accident as we were waiting to check into our hotel in the Earl's Court area. I'm so glad we did! It was beautiful and there was a hidden gem around each corner. Peacocks! Giant chess board, Japanese Garden complete with pond full of giant Koi, waterfall, Dog Toilet? And the human toilet was very, very nice. Didn't find any of that in Hyde Park. THIS is the park to see in London!

I visited it during summer time and even on a cloudy day it managed to look outstanding. It may take a while to be able to get a photo alone with the scenery but its well worth the wait! Would be an excellent place to sit down and read a book as theres benches and the park seemed to be very peaceful. Just wish they had more green space around kyoto garden so you could lounge while taking in the view or even have a picnic. But its the whole policy of not stepping onto the grass that probably makes the garden look so splendid.

what a great hidden gem. great place to meditate and just be. the colors are vibrant and amazing to see, also peacocks!

I've only been to Japan once and that was a pretty long time ago but Kyoto Garden always reminds me of my time in Japan when I visit it. It's sad it's not bigger though.

The Kyoto Garden in Holland Park, opened in 1991 to celebrate the Japanese Festival. The garden is a medium-sized pond and waterfall in the heart of one of West London's most beautiful parks. It's the perfect place to go, unwind and gather your thoughts or even to have a picnic with family / friends.

one of many breathing places in London, and one of the most beautifull. it's a park inside a park which makes the visit even better, and you have the cafe only a short walk away. If you want to get out of the bustle of London for a couple of minutes, this is where you should go.

I visited this little gem a few weeks ago, read about it on time out London and being in the area, it just made sense. It's like a forest trial to start off with, but then you arrive to the pleasant area. Visited the entire garden in over an hour, love the history behind Japan, the peacock garden is beautiful. Although my pet hate are the little pestering squirrels, they literally jump at you for food!! They remind me of rats and I HATE rats!!! Was not impressed by that whatsoever! To get to the lake, had to past them, so literally just ran! Once you are near to the waterfall and the amazing array of fishes in the lake, it's very relaxing and beautiful, you get a chance of being away from the hustle and bustle of London, it's peaceful, hearing the force of the tiny waterfall. The rest of the park is beautiful, with the flower garden, plenty of space of relax and watch the world go by within your hands. Great place for kids during the summer as the children play area is open.

As tranquil as anywhere you'll ever find yourself in London, Kyoto Garden is a traditional Japanese garden created in 1991 by a team of Japanese gardeners sponsored by Kyoto Chamber of Commerce in association the Japan Festival of London. Its fairly large waterfall (I'm guessing it stands about 15 feet), feeds a medium sized pond filled with colourful koi (carp). A lovely stone path outlines the pond with a little bridge and viewing platform which crosses the pond at the base of the falls. Other highlights of Kyoto Garden are a stone washbasin, Japanese style shrubbery and red maples. With the sounds of the rushing waterfall enhancing the bucolic feel of this garden, it's easy to forget you're only a short walk away from Notting Hill or Kensington High Street.

It's not big - a quite small fenced-off area, in fact, embedded in the northwestern part of Holland Park - but it's very peaceful. Apparently built by Japanese artists brought in for a 1991 celebration, it has a cascading waterfall, a stone path above a carp-filled pond, a stone washbasin, Japanese shrubs cut in distinctive style, and a few benches from which to contemplate it all. Japanese gardens are about tranquility, and this is a good spot to know about when you need it.

The best park in London! It feels like you are taking a stroll in Japan. The garden changes with every season but the best time to visit is autumn or spring. Close to Holland Park tube station, bring a book and just enjoy the peace.

Absolutely adore this place! Reminded me of the time I spent in Japan. A lovely hidden jem.