North Park and Japanese Garden, Dusseldorf

The North Park (Nordpark) in Dusseldorf, created in 1937 as part of the “Great Imperial Exhibition of Productive People,” stands as an iconic example of 1930s garden architecture. Designed by Willi Tapp, the park’s layout follows long, symmetrical lines with cross-axes, landscaped garden areas, and a central garden axis leading visitors through cascading water features and vibrantly planted flowerbeds. The journey continues along the flower axis, ending at a flower ring, a profusely planted circular display. This leads visitors deeper into the park, through meticulously planned landscapes bordered by tall hornbeams and grand plane trees.

One of the park’s highlights, the Japanese Garden, was added in 1975 as a gift from the Japanese community to Dusseldorf, symbolizing the cultural bond between the two regions. Designed by renowned Japanese landscape architect Iwakii Ishiguro and his son, Shojiro, this 5,000 square-meter "Garden of Reflection" emulates a traditional Japanese pond garden. It features a circular path around a serene pond with koi from Japan, small waterfalls, trimmed Japanese maples, azaleas, and carefully placed rocks, giving the garden an idealized natural aesthetic.

Visitors will find that each element in the Japanese Garden holds symbolic meaning, from the “tree of the upright spirit” to lanterns in the “Kasuga style.” Stone arrangements symbolize strength and longevity, while the island in the pond reflects themes of immortality. Across the garden, artificially raised hills and stone lanterns mimic the traditional elements of Japanese pleasure gardens.

The North Park also houses other gardens reflecting post-war design, such as the cactus and summer gardens created in 1958 by Georg Penker, which add to the park’s diverse botanical offerings. Following a pedestrian bridge, visitors arrive at the water garden with a large lily pond framed by climbing wisteria, all set against the backdrop of a pergola-lined path leading to the Aquazoo. The North Park’s blend of historical and cultural landscapes, enhanced by the Japanese Garden’s tranquil beauty, makes it one of Dusseldorf’s most cherished green spaces.