The longtime home of an award-winning Japanese landscape gardener, this distinctive 1941 El Cerrito home reflects a love of Japanese design inside and out. An extraordinary front garden welcomes you with intricate stonework, a graceful archway draped in wisteria, and carefully composed plantings that set the tone for what lies beyond. Inside, the 3-bedroom, 2-bath home offers 1,442 square feet of living space per tax records, with a living room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, and Japanese-inspired details throughout. Shoji screens add character to the bedrooms, while the upstairs en-suite bedroom captures views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The ensuite bathrooms was remodeled in 2026. Just off the kitchen, a secluded tea garden deck creates an intimate spot for morning tea, reading, or a quiet moment outdoors. The Japanese influence continues into the rear garden, where the seller lovingly created an elaborate koi pond setting with stonework and bridges, originally featuring a waterfall, water wheel, and bamboo rocking fountain. The pond is currently drained, offering the next owner the opportunity to restore or reimagine this remarkable garden feature. A detached structure at the rear of the property offers possibilities for a woodshop, art studio, office, music room, or other creative space. Set on a 5,000-square-foot lot, the property includes one-car garage parking plus driveway parking. Held by the same family for more than 60 years, 509 Clayton is a home with history, individuality, and a point of view. And its convenient El Cerrito location puts BART just five blocks away and the shops, restaurants, and everyday conveniences of San Pablo Avenue approximately nine blocks away.
