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Watch trailer on Steam ↗Niwa - Japanese Garden Simulator
Niwa Studios · Published by Niwa Studios
Mixed — 62% positive (29 reviews)
Last updated 27 Sept 2026
Niwa - Japanese Garden Simulator is a gardening simulator that gives you the freedom to design your own zen gardens. Set in Kyoto, Japan, you are tasked with learning authentic Japanese gardening techniques and applying them to realistic reproductions of historical locations in the city.
Free to PlayEarly AccessDJCTQ l
Free
Simulation, Free To Play, Early Access · 2024 · More free games
Step into the tranquil world of Niwa - Japanese Garden Simulator, where you craft your own zen gardens using authentic techniques. Set among Kyoto’s landmarks, this simulation offers a free-to-play experience that combines history with horticultural artistry.
About this game
Niwa - Japanese Garden Simulator is a gardening simulator set in Kyoto, Japan, the birthplace of zen gardens. By playing Niwa - Japanese Garden Simulator you will learn authentic Japanese gardening techniques and how to apply them to realistic reproductions of historical locations in the city. You will learn the basic elements of traditional garden composition: stones, plants and water. Then use these techniques to create your own gardens.
- Learn from a master
As a new apprentice to a famous gardening company, you will be tasked with creating, repairing and updating public and private gardens. Each level has a number of tasks for you to complete where you will gain unique skills and insightful knowledge about these special locations.
- Experience various kinds of gardens
There are a large variety of Japanese garden types, and your work will bring you to each of them: dry gardens, temple gardens, tsubo-niwas, tea gardens and moss gardens.
- Feast your eyes
The Visual aspect is important to enjoying Japanese gardens. The game also includes a photo mode, which allows you to take photographs of your garden creations and share them with friends. Niwa - Japanese Garden Simulator attempts to simulate as closely as possible the true look of plants, stones and the surroundings so that photos come out looking like the real thing.
- Relax amongst the soothing landscapes
Escape from your urban life and find refuge amongst nature. Unwind and discover the calming ambiance of your garden.
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
Minimum:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10 64bit
- Processor: Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 3
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- DirectX: Version 10
- Storage: 7 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD Preferred
Recommended
Recommended:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10 64bit
- Processor: Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 7 GB available space
- Additional Notes: SSD Preferred
Supported Languages
English*, Japanese*
*languages with full audio support
*languages with full audio support
Latest news
Patch NotesOfficial
Update Notes for Aug 24
日本語! We are proud to announce that Niwa - Japanese Garden Simulator is now available in Japanese! This was made possible with the cooperation of Takasho, a Japanese company focused on the creation of elegant gardens and garden-based lifestyles. The company offers materials for professional design and construction of gardens as well as consumer-friendly DIY products. We teamed up with their GLD-LAB, which develops 4D space design using AR/VR/MR technologies to bring you the game in Japanese language. We also plan to include some of the company's Japanese garden design products in the full release of the game. To play the game in Japanese language, simply press the language button in the bottom right of the start page. For this release, we also included a new custom stone lantern creator in the accessories mode. You can use it to create your own unique stone lantern by changing individual lantern parts and materials. Currently there are over 200 different combinations possible to match your desires. We also optimized some of the assets for better performance.Read full article on Community Announcements (niwagame)Patch NotesOfficial
Update Notes for April 20
Minor updates to improve gameplay: Optimized assets for performance New option to change time between morning, day, sunset and night for interesting visualizations. Added option to invert mouse look direction in Options Menu Added revert tool in landscaping to flatten ground at generator level.Read full article on Community Announcements (niwagame)Patch NotesOfficial
Update Notes for Mar 13
Introduced and updated gameplay features: Introducing the Journal, which will guide players through levels and tasks. Added informational learning points in levels to access the Journal. Redesigned visuals for object handling in UI and to make object details more visible. Simplified tutorial level. Fixed various bugs.Read full article on Community Announcements (niwagame)Patch NotesOfficial
Update Notes for Feb 4 2024
Completely revamped raking system which allows for much more lifelike sand raking. You can now create zen gardens that live up to your dreams! Control the rake by setting target points with the . Use + to create a new line of raked sand.Read full article on Community Announcements (niwagame)Patch NotesOfficial
Update Notes for Jan 27
Addressed early bugs related to: - Game crashing when taking Screenshots - Player falling Improved landscaping controls for better accuracy in building the gardens. Right mouse button to move camera, left mouse button to sculpt/paint landscape.Read full article on Community Announcements (niwagame)
