Pune-Okayama Friendship Garden Timings, Entry Fee, Ticket Cost Price; Pune-Okayama Friendship Garden Opening & Closing Time, Holidays & Phone Number

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From visiting all the historical places and forts to chilling at the cafes and restaurants, the cultural capital of Maharashtra, Pune, has a lot to offer. It will take days to explore the rich heritage of this beautiful city. So, if you get exhausted while experiencing the city life or knowing the oldest caves and fortresses, the gardens in Pune are a perfect escape to refresh your soul.

The beautiful gardens in Pune are famous for their lush greenery, colourful flowers, and well-maintained lawns. It’s a perfect place for the locals to hang out with their friends, family, and kids. And if you are visiting Pune, the Okayama Friendship garden deserves to be on your list of places to see for its eye-catching beauty.

Located on the Sinhagad Road in Dattawadi, Okayama Garden represents the friendship between Japan and Pune. The captivating landscape and the cultural significance have made the park one of the best sightseeing places in Pune.

History of Okayama Friendship Garden

In 1998, when Pune’s Mayor Dattatreya Gaikwad formed a “sister city” bond with Berman, eight other cities all over the globe came across to tie a knot with Pune. Among those eight cities, one of the most valuable “sister cities” of Pune was Okayama in Japan.

If you have never heard of the concept of sister cities, consider this as a legal or social agreement between two different (politically & geographically) cities for forming commercial and cultural ties. The concept of sister cities or international links between two cities began after the second world war. The idea behind developing such relations was to promote solidarity between the cities in allied countries that faced the devastating events of the war.

To mark the Indo-Japanese friendship between Okayama and Pune, Okayama Friendship Garden was created under the sister city initiatives. The design of the friendship garden was inspired by Okayama’s 300-year-old famous Korakuen Garden. The park was built in 1700, across 12 hectares, by the Ikeda royal family.

The Okayama Friendship Garden is also known as the Pu. La. Deshpande Udayan. It was named after well known Marathi writer and humorist Purushottam Laxman Deshpande. He won the Padma Bhushan in 1990. After his death, the Pune Municipal Corporation named the garden after him.

Many rulers in India build gardens for either relaxation or for aesthetic pleasure. But for traditional Japanese culture, gardens were built to symbolise peace. They are inspired by Buddhist, Taoist, and Shinto philosophies that consider gardens as a place for meditation and spiritual practices.

The Okayama Friendship Garden in Pune strives to establish the Japanese tradition in India to build a peaceful and cultural relationship between the two countries.

Architecture of Okayama Friendship Garden

Spread over 10 acres of land in Pune, the Okayama Friendship Garden reflects the Japanese gardening culture. The garden is not entirely natural and has man-made elements, which are perfect blends of Yin and Yang gardening philosophies.

According to Japanese culture, gardens are supposed to bring a sense of spirituality. That is why the Okayama Friendship Garden’s architecture is designed based on the principles of “Sumi” or Balance, Emptiness or “Ma”, and Nature. The garden has all the important elements of a Japanese garden, for instance- Waterfalls, Ponds, Rock, Stone Lanterns, Bridges, Water Basins, Walls, Statues, Plants, Koi Fish and Fences.

The entire place is surrounded by thick greenery that permeates fresh air all over the garden. You will see statues of male and female lions at the garden entrance that reflect two opposite forces (Yin and Yang).

Inside the park, you will see streams of water flowing by, well-designed waterfalls and ponds. The ducks and red-coloured fish in the ponds were taken from the Zen Sect of South China. As mentioned earlier, water is an important element of Japanese gardens. It represents calmness, renewal, and wonder.

Bridges are another crucial element of the Japanese gardening style. This is why, in the Okayama Friendship Garden, you will notice perfectly built bamboo bridges, bamboo seats, and shades. For fencing the lawns and walkways, the designer used bamboo, twigs of trees, and wood.

The Stone Lanterns inside the Okayama Friendship Garden in Pune add more beauty to the landscape. They are designed in various shapes and placed beside the water basins. In Japanese culture, the stone lanterns were used for decorations, and they signified the light of knowledge. During the 16th century, it was also used in their tea gardens.

The Pune Friendship garden is the home of various species of flora and fauna. In the Japanese gardening style, plants signify universal forms of life and moving thoughts. And keeping the Japanese philosophies in mind, the Pune Friendship garden planted evergreen trees like Khaya, Bakul, and Filicium. You can also find Plum, Willows, Japanese Camellias, and Pine trees. These trees were spotted in Japanese gardens mostly during the 10th-12th century. Rice and coffee plantations are also part of the biodiversity of the Pune Okayama Garden.

The garden has artificial mountains named “Kasan,” which are built of wood, asymmetrical stones, and ceramic. You can notice that the lawns of Friendship garden are well maintained. The lush greenery and shrubs speak well for the magnificent beauty of the garden.

Image Gallery of Pune-Okayama Friendship Garden

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Things to Do at Okayama Friendship Garden

The perfect blend of nature and man-made architecture makes the garden appear serene. Once you enter the garden, you can walk through the stone walkways while listening to the sound of waterfalls and chirping birds. While enjoying the tranquil view of the artificial hills and streams, you can sit, meditate, or relax in the pagoda styled resting places.

You can also witness lush trees and spectacular flowers inside the Garden. These evergreen flowers and trees are a treat to watch throughout the year, disregarding the climate. You can also witness the rich biodiversity while watching birds, ducks, and colourful fishes in the pond.

There’s also a children’s playing area available inside the garden. So, if you’re visiting with your kids and family, ensure to visit the playing area. You can learn more about the garden's rich history and amazing beauty by booking guided tours online or on the spot.

After exploring the garden, you can visit the Mughal Garden, located next to the Okayama garden. The Mughal Garden is a replica of the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. The garden is famous for its Mughal inspired architecture and evening fountain dance.

Entry Fee and Timings of Okayama Friendship Garden

For adults and children above 3 years, the entry fee for visiting Okayama Friendship Garden is INR 5.

You can visit the garden throughout the year. It is open from 6:00 am to 10:30 am and then from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

How to Reach Okayama Friendship Garden

Since the garden is located on Sinhgad road in Pune, you can easily visit it from anywhere. However, we have mentioned the best three ways to reach the beautiful garden below.

Airport- The nearest airport from the Okayama Friendship garden is the Pune International Airport, which is 16 km away. You can book cabs or hop on a local bus to reach the garden.

Railway Station- The nearest railway Shivajinagar is only 6 km away from Okayama park. Also, the Pune junction is around 7.6 km away. You can take buses or taxis from the railway station to reach the park right away.

Roadway- Located on the Narveer Tanaji Malusare road, the Okayama Friendship Garden is well connected with the roads. The Shivajinagar bus stand is around 6 km away from the garden. So, you can get several state government buses to reach it. You can also book a car rental from top car rental companies in Pune to reach the place without any hassle.

Interesting Facts about the Okayama Friendship Garden

Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s “Bodyguard” movie’s few scenes were shot in this garden.

Things to Keep in Mind While Visiting the Okayama Friendship Garden

• The visitors can’t walk or have picnics inside the lawns.
• You can’t bring food from outside. Food stalls are available inside the garden.
• You aren’t allowed to bring a camera inside the garden. However, if you’re a blogger or vlogger, take permission before clicking pictures.
• Make sure to maintain the tidiness and cleanliness of the garden
• The best time to visit and embrace the beauty of the Pune Okayama Friendship is October- March.
• If you are visiting during the summers, wear comfortable clothes and bring sun protection, umbrellas, and hats to stay safe from the heat.

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Location Map for Pune-Okayama Friendship Garden