On Saturday, March 15th, my friends and I travelled to the Morikami Japanese Garden in Delray Beach to celebrate a birthday and it was absolutely amazing. When we first arrived, we were given a map to follow as we went on the trail. In total, it took us about an hour and a half to complete it, as we stopped multiple times to take pictures. As we walked through the trail, I was surrounded by many different aspects of natural Japanese culture, like Coi fish, bonsai trees, and more. The trail leaves you in a state of peace, and left me appreciative of nature.

We also had the chance to see a gallery centered around the origin story of the anime Akira. There were so many interesting facts about it, and it provided insight into how it came to be. There was also a section showcasing Japanese glass dolls, which was absolutely beautiful. As we continued through the gallery, we also saw art on display, showing the talent of various artists.

After seeing both the gallery and the garden, we went to the cafe which was connected to both buildings. The cafe had a variety of Japanese cuisine, like dumplings, lo mein, crispy chicken rice bowls, and so much more. I had a Bento Box, which consists of fried tofu, shrimp, dumplings, rice, salmon, chicken, sushi, and steamed vegetables. I ended up splitting this with a friend of mine. It was very delicious to me, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you tend to be a picky eater. Overall, visiting the Morikami Japanese Garden was an amazing experience and I’m so happy that I got to do it with a group of amazing people.