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Things to do in Seattle

Kubota Garden

A free 20-acre Japanese garden in South Seattle, built by Fujitaro Kubota from 1927: ponds, bridges, waterfalls and hillsides of Northwest plants, and one of the closest calm places to the airport.

Get a ride therePlan a Seattle trip with itTours nearby

The useful answer

Should this fit your day?

Best for
Garden lovers, photographers, anyone who wants a calm walk close to the airport, and visitors who've heard of the Seattle Japanese Garden but want one that's free.
Time to protect
Allow an hour to an hour and a half to walk the main paths and ponds without rushing.
Cruise-day fit
Kubota Garden is in South Seattle, well south of both cruise terminals, so it works best on the way to or from the airport rather than as a pier-day stop. Drop your luggage first, or keep it in the car.
From the terminals
Both Pier 66 and Pier 91 are a long ride north through downtown. It sits between SEA and the city, not near the waterfront.
Before a flight
This is one of the closest gardens to SEA: about 7 miles, roughly 15 to 20 minutes by car without heavy traffic, or the 1 Line to Rainier Beach and a short bus ride. It's a good way to spend a long layover or the hours before an evening flight.

Kubota or the Seattle Japanese Garden?

Seattle has two very different Japanese gardens. Pick by time, budget and season.

  1. Kubota Garden

    Free, no reservation, 20 acres to wander, and close to the airport in South Seattle.

  2. The Seattle Japanese Garden

    A smaller, formal ticketed garden in the Washington Park Arboretum, open from March to November.

  3. Both in one day?

    They're miles apart across the city, so pair Kubota with Seward Park on Lake Washington instead.

Read the Arboretum and Japanese Garden guide →

What to know before you go

  1. 01

    Kubota Garden is free to visit, with no reservation needed; donations are welcome at the information kiosk by the entrance. It's open from sunrise to sunset.

  2. 02

    It's 20 acres of hills, valleys, streams, waterfalls, ponds, bridges and rock outcrops in the Rainier Beach neighborhood, blending Japanese garden design with native Northwest plants.

  3. 03

    Fujitaro Kubota, a master landscaper, began the garden as his display garden in 1927. The City of Seattle bought it from his estate in 1987, and it's a city historic landmark, run by Seattle Parks with the Kubota Garden Foundation.

  4. 04

    Paths are hard-packed gravel with slopes everywhere, and the steep Mountainside section isn't wheelchair accessible at all. The self-guided tour map shows the easier routes.

  5. 05

    Leashed dogs are welcome, kept out of the plants and ponds. Picnics are fine on the lawns or at the accessible tables near the restrooms, which are gender-neutral and opened in 2023.

  6. 06

    Parking is free, in the lot off 55th Avenue S near Renton Avenue S, and along the nearby streets. The garden warns about car prowls, so leave nothing in sight.

  7. 07

    By transit, ride the 1 Line from SEA to Rainier Beach Station, then Metro route 106, which stops on Renton Avenue S right in front of the garden.

  8. 08

    More than 65,000 people visit each year, and Seattle Parks calls it especially well suited to outdoor ceremonies, so you may pass a wedding.

Parking, construction on 55th Avenue S and tour times change. Check the garden's visit page before you go.

Tours and activities

Tours that visit Kubota Garden

Entry itself is free. These well-reviewed tours include it, with current prices. Check a date to see open start times, then book with Viator.

Tours are sold and run through Viator; booking opens viator.com in a new tab, and Viator confirms the final price and time. Seatac Co may earn a commission.

Free to visit, with tours nearby

There's no ticket for Kubota Garden: just go. If you'd like a guide, a harbor cruise or another stop the same day, start here.

  • Seattle tours and tickets

    Guided tours, attraction tickets and day trips around Seattle, including options near Kubota Garden.

    See tours and tickets

Opens a booking partner in a new tab; Seatac Co may earn a commission. For current notices, see the Kubota Garden Foundation visit page.

Get a ride there

Drop-off: Kubota Garden, 9817 55th Avenue S

Map of the drive from Seatac Airport to Kubota Garden: 7.2 miles, about 20 minutes
7.2 mi · about 20 min from the airportOpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap

Starting from

Your fare is worked out for the exact trip on the next step, before you pay. Want the car to wait while you visit? Book by the hour.

Cruise day: Kubota Garden between the ship and your flight

Off the ship with a few hours before your flight? Book the ride from the pier and the ride on to the airport now, so each driver knows where you are going.

  1. Step 1

    Ride from the pier

    Both Pier 66 and Pier 91 are a long ride north through downtown. It sits between SEA and the city, not near the waterfront.

    From Pier 66From Pier 91

  2. Step 2

    Visit Kubota Garden

    Allow an hour to an hour and a half to walk the main paths and ponds without rushing.

    Tours nearby

  3. Step 3

    Ride on to Seatac Airport

    This is one of the closest gardens to SEA: about 7 miles, roughly 15 to 20 minutes by car without heavy traffic, or the 1 Line to Rainier Beach and a short bus ride. It's a good way to spend a long layover or the hours before an evening flight.

    Kubota Garden to the airport

Big bags

  • Pier 66: Same-day bag storage is available. Pick bags up by 3 pm to avoid a late fee.
  • Pier 91: Same-day bag storage in the Crew Center, north of the Ground Transportation Center. Pick bags up by 3 pm to avoid a late fee.

Stored bags mean a stop back at the pier before the airport. To keep them with you instead, book a car by the hour and the driver waits with your luggage.

Planning the whole cruise trip? Keep Kubota Garden on it with the rides around it.

Plan the whole cruise trip

Not sure which pier? Find your ship and pier or compare Pier 66 and Pier 91.

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