Little piece of Japan in Turkey

ISTANBUL — Behind a little wooden door, a secret Japanese garden rests at Baltalimanı. From the Japanese city of Shimonoseki, the garden is a little gift to Istanbul. The greens, reds, and pinks, the camellias, carp flags and lagoon turn the garden into a kind of other world. The writing on the wall as you enter the garden and the magical cherry blossoms will have you feeling as though you are at the heart of Japan. From there you can make your way to Itsumi Japanese restaurant in Levent, one of the finest and most traditional Japanese restaurants in Istanbul.