Portland Japanese Garden
Audio Transcript
Portland Japanese Garden is an urban oasis that encompasses 12 acres with 8 garden styles. The Garden was founded in 1963 on the heels of World War II. Between Pearl Harbor, Japanese internment camps, and two atomic bombs, the war had taken a heavy toll on trans-pacific attitudes.
A group of local community members who were committed to healing these wounds came together with an idea to create a Japanese garden for the city of Portland. The hope was that this garden could become a place of beauty and peace and bring a better understanding of Japanese culture to Portland. Gardens have the quiet ability to teach about a culture without requiring translation. But even as Portland Japanese Garden was being built, it faced harsh opposition in the community. Hate groups gathered at the site to protest and chant racial slurs. Acts of vandalism were repeated on the property.
“The Garden was founded in 1963 on the heels of World War ll.”
Despite this, in 1967, Portland Japanese Garden formally opened to the public for the summer. That year, more than 28,000 people came to experience a traditional Japanese garden.The years went by, and with each generation, the Garden matured, flourished, and established itself as a cornerstone of the Portland community.The community grew as well, opening their hearts and minds and finding empathy and humanity in each other.Today, Portland Japanese Garden remains a hallmark of Portland and is renowned as the most authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan. It is a place for Oregonians and people from around the world to come and connect with each other through the common ground of nature.
Learn more about the Portland Japanese Garden at Japanesegarden.org
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