Come to the Japanese garden Shin Kai Tei and escape from reality for a moment so you can unwind. I myself find this the ideal place to forget my worries and enjoy nature. It is a fun experience from which I become all zen. There are several elements that refer to Japan so you really have the feeling of being at the destination. In the garden you will find numerous different landscapes, many types of water plants and beautiful fish such as large koi carp. This unique place contains the main elements of a Japanese garden namely water, plants and stone.
Before I even enter the garden I feel welcomed by the dry garden, with its typical rocks and stones. But what strikes me most as I enter is the central pond in the shape of a turtle. There are a lot of beautiful symbols corporated into the smallest details, which in my opinion gives the garden more meaning. For example, you have the water which represents life by the way it flows. Because the sun rises in the east and this is the source of life the water flows from east to west. You have numerous other hidden meanings that you will discover when you visit the garden.
A Japanese garden is full of meaning and symbolism which makes it something very different from other gardens. Plants and rocks are not just laid out, but have a deeper meaning or symbolic value. The three elements that are always used in a Japanese garden are: water, stone and the colour green. Water stands for life, the stones stand for tranquility and the green stands for nature. That is why green plants are mainly used in a Japanese garden, colored flowers stand out even more. Japan is, just like Ostend, very connected to the sea. The country consists of several large, but also small islands and these can be found in the pond of the Japanese garden. Even the name of the garden refers to this, Shin Kai Tei means deep sea garden.
| Address | Opening days | Opening hours | Accessibility |
| Koningin Astridlaan 8400 Ostend | Saturday & Sunday
From the Easter vacation until the end of the autumn vacation |
10 Am – 18 Pm | Tram stop in front of the entrance |