Idaho is home to a truly special community. Idahoans are naturally nature and beauty-loving folk, and we take extra joy in finding hidden spaces that create a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of daily life. These are quiet places but they are also communal -- secret squares of green and light and flowers tucked into the unexpected hearts of towns. Today, we're letting you in on one particularly enchanting secret garden in Idaho worth seeking out — one which is no secret to its community residents but is an overlooked gem for visitors: the Japanese Friendship Gardens

Idaho Falls is well known for the graceful urban waterfalls that cascade in the middle of the Snake River and for the beautiful greenbelt that meanders alongside the water.

For many in this lovely waterfront city, the beautiful scenes of Sportsman Park are a reminder of how the community has grown up around an island known to early settlers as Taylor’s Crossing.

But few people realize that this city has won quite a few awards for its beautiful parks and landscaping — a truly special accomplishment for humble Idaho.

Today, Sportsman Park in Idaho Falls is home to a Japanese-themed Friendship Garden, a respite created by hundreds of local volunteers who came together to work on the project in 2011.

The Japanese garden is set slightly aside from the main park area, designed with the input of representatives from Idaho Falls' sister city: Tokai-Mura. It is easily one of the prettiest gardens to visit in Idaho.

Here, you'll find meditation stones, benches, waterfalls, and small creeks...

And endless lush vegetation.

In fact, as you walk into the garden-like Sportsman Park, the first thing you'll hear is the soothing sound of the streams flowing and trickling.

Nearby, multiple war and veteran memorials dot the rock walls and pathways, like this Blue Star Memorial.

Running right alongside the river, the nearby Rock Garden creates a winding maze of relaxing beauty.

Tranquil and inspiring, this is one "secret" park garden that is too lovely to pass up any time of the year!

It's the perfect place to get away in the warmer months. And, if you're there around dusk, the lighting is gorgeous!

But while this beautiful garden and its idyllic park setting may be Japanese-inspired, you will no doubt find some Idaho wildlife to remind you where you are.

Are you ready to enjoy this idyllic waterfront oasis in southeastern Idaho? Have you ever visited the Japanese Friendship Garden in Idaho Falls? What are some of your favorite gardens in Idaho? Let us know in the comments. You can also learn more about this Idaho Falls secret garden on the City of Idaho Falls website.

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