For 90 years, the ancient traditions and architecture of Japan have occupied this hillside in Saratoga.

On a sunny October afternoon, Mort and Judy Birnbaum of Boston stroll through the gardens. While in Campbell visiting their grandson and newborn granddaughter, they decided to check out Hakone. They had heard of its reputation. "We were in Tuscany and we met a couple who were married here," Mort Birnbaum said.

"I'm originally from Brooklyn," his wife said. "Hakone reminds me of the serene beauty and tranquility of the Japanese garden in [the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens]."

Masato Matsuo of Los Gatos walks the grounds with his niece, who is visiting from Japan. "This scale and authenticity is really unique in the United States," he said.

Matsuo first visited the gardens five years ago. He was surprised to learn that the local Japanese community was not involved with the place. Around that time, his friend Tak Kimoto initiated the Hakone Garden Supporting Committee. "Since Japanese have not been involved in the past, we decided to raise some contributions from the local Japanese community," Matsuo said. He said this year it raised $30,000. Next year it is shooting for $50,000, and hopes to raise $100,000 the year after that.

"When you walk through the gardens, you can't see where art ends and nature begins," Lon Saavedra, executive director and CEO of the Hakone Gardens Foundation, said. "It was built by a master gardener whose family had cared for the emperor's gardens in Japan for at least three generations. It's a historical and botanical masterpiece."

Saavedra's public policy background has had him working alongside Jimmy Carter, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Tip O'Neill and Tim Russert. He took over the Hakone Gardens in 1999, and today is guiding the gardens into their second century.

When Saavedra took over, there was talk of shutting the place down. "It was in disastrous shape," he said. The gardens were run as a city park but had been neglected, he said.

"The current city council understood the historical significance of Hakone," he said. In November 2000, a lease agreement was reached that extends to 2055. In May of this year, another agreement was signed making Hakone a fully independent foundation.

"We receive no public funding from the local municipal government, the local county government, the state or the federal government," Saavedra explained. "We're a 90-year-old start-up. We're trying to build a business model that works."

Currently, Hakone relies on three revenue streams: visitor entry fees, facility use fees and sales from the gift shop. "Our overhead is about $60,000 a month. We have to cover that before we even open our doors."

Saavedra said that between March and September, Hakone remains in the black. But in the off season, the enormous overhead causes Hakone to hemorrhage money. A 20 percent budget gap has to be filled.

Donations and grants have been crucial to filling. The Saratoga-Monte Sereno Community Foundation has been heavily active in raising money to cover the expenses.

Saavedra said 30 Google employees and 150 Hewlett-Packard employees used Hakone Gardens for a retreat last week. "One of the key income streams we want to capture is corporate off-site retreats," he said. "We want to be the venue of choice for corporate holiday parties, family events, birthday parties and reunions."

Big things are currently afoot for the fall and winter season. In September, three leading Japanese garden landscape architects spent a week surveying the gardens and assisting Hakone Foundation develop a master plan for its next 100 years.

On Oct. 23, the gardens will host the "Autumn Taste of Japan" where a tasting panel of cultural and community leaders from Silicon Valley will sample the specialties of Fuki Sushi of Palo Alto, Ozumo of San Francisco and Sushi Ran of Sausalito. A sake ceremony, Japanese flower arranging demonstration, a Japanese play and Taiko drumming will also be presented. "It's a showcase of Japanese culture," Saavedra said.

A particular special day will be Dec. 9 when Memoirs of a Geisha will be premiered across the country. Scenes from the movie were filmed at Hakone last January.

"We received $175,000 from Sony as a donation for using Hakone as a film site," Saavedra said. "We're thrilled with the opportunity to have hosted Sony's upcoming number one movie release. The trailer shows scenes of the gardens. If you know Hakone, you should recognize it in some of the scenes."

Saavedra said he was astounded that many Saratogans and residents of the South Bay had no idea that Hakone existed. "We hope Memoirs of a Geisha will change that. Having been here nearly a century, it remains the hidden crown jewel of cultural institutions on the West Coast."