The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is a tranquil oasis located on the western edge of campus, giving all who enter a glimpse of the beauty of Eastern traditions.
Dedicated in 1981, the Japanese Garden reflects the University’s ongoing interest in international education. Built through the generosity of Loraine Miller Collins in memory of her late husband, Earl Burns Miller, the Garden includes one of Southern California’s largest koi ponds.
Flowing Weeping Willows and Black Pines, trimmed in the traditional Japanese style, provide a lush backdrop to carefully tended shrubs. Beside the water’s edge, stately blue Ins lure butterflies; on the hills, fragrant Osmanthus blossoms perfume the air.
Overlooking the pond, a tea house is flanked by a wall of giant timber bamboo, creating a shady respite. Nearby, a manicured Zen garden illustrates the elegance of simplicity in stone.
The Japanese Garden has been featured in popular garden publications, such as Sunset magazine, and attracts more than 50,000 visitors each year. Many come with group tours led by one of the Garden’s knowledgeable docent guides. Others come to participate in a horticulture class, hear a lecture or enjoy a cultural performance. Hundreds of people discover the Garden when invited to attend a wedding or reception held in this charming and romantic setting.
CSULB students living on campus enjoy easy access to the Garden, located just steps from their dormitories. Students from many academic disciplines attend outdoor class sessions to paint, write or study. Others come to work as student interns, docents or Garden assistants.
Special volunteers lend their time and talent to maintain “their” Garden or to participate in special events. Affiliated groups include: the Friends of the Japanese Garden, the Zen Nippon Airinkai Koi Club of Southern California, and numerous regional Japanese cultural organizations. Activities. In collaboration with its volunteers, University faculty, students and community support groups, the Japanese Garden sponsors an exciting calendar of events and educational programs, including:
California State University Long Beach
1250 Bellflower Boulevard,
Long Beach, CA 90840
562/985-5930; jgarden@csulb.edu
