Portland Japanese Garden

A heartfelt thank you to Portland, Oregon for hosting such a successful and timely National Association of Japan-America Societies, Inc. Annual Meeting! Rose city's vibrant energy and foggy hospitality made this gathering of US-Japan leaders from across the country and the America Japan Society truly unforgettable and which I will post more about when over. For now an early and special thanks to NAJAS and especially Andrew Wylegala and our local Japan-America Society of Oregon led by Graham M. for their tireless efforts in organizing such a remarkable gathering. The Portland Japanese Garden was a highlight as always, showcasing the beauty of Japanese culture and the importance of subnational diplomacy. Was great to be with so many friends and leaders who I hope to continue to partner and work with for the future. As a lifelong admirer of the Sapporo-Portland sister city relationship, I'm truly inspired by the power of these connections to foster understanding and cooperation between our two nations. #Portland #NAJAS #SisterCities #SubnationalDiplomacy"

Portland Japanese Garden?- a 501(c)(3) #nonprofit - is #hiring for a Chief Financial Officer! The CFO is responsible for managing the financial operations of Portland Japanese Garden (PJG), and three related entities. This role oversees all financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis, while meeting compliance requirements, and best-practice standards.?Please click on the link below to learn more, and share with anyone you know who may be interested!

This is our latest issue of bimonthly periodicals, "The Garden Path", from Portland Japanese Garden, and our event hosted at the University of Tokyo, Hongo Campus on May 13th, 2024 was featured together with our Japan Office introduction. If interested, you can read it from here. https://lnkd.in/g8ETUCS6..

On Friday (8/16) and Saturday (8/17), we will be celebrating O-Bon, the Spirit Festival, to honor our ancestors and pray for the souls of the departed. We've upheld this annual tradition since 1976, with our incredible cultural partner, Reverend Zuigaku Kodachi, chanting the Lotus Sutra every year. In his 49th year of O-Bon at Portland Japanese Garden, we took the opportunity to profile Reverend Kodachi and learn about how he became an integral part of our community. We are deeply grateful for our many partners who help make each of our cultural programs so special and memorable. #obon #japaneseculture #japanesefestival #portlandjapanesegarden #community

Portland Japanese Garden could not pursue its mission of Inspiring Harmony and Peace without its remarkable group of volunteers. More than 180 individuals from a diverse group of backgrounds help the organization in innumerous ways, including providing richly detailed tours, guiding guests through artwork on display in our exhibitions, and tending to the physical landscape itself. One of these gifted and bright individuals is Masaki Shimada, who has been providing invaluable support to the organization since 2020.

So great to spend time with Senator Ron Wyden talking about our vision for growth with Japan Institute programming at Portland Japanese Garden. I love this part of my job because as I share our vision I get to watch people’s eyes light up. His did! Whether it is about being a place of pride for #Portland or it is promoting peace around the world, I love making that connection with people. #culturaldiplomacy #nonprofit #publicgarden #peacemaking https://lnkd.in/gfmCxFdM

Our Arlene Schnitzer Curator of Culture, Art, and Education, Aki Nakanishi?was recently interviewed by?The Japan Times. Nakanishi, who has been with the organization since 2018, moved to the United States after having served as Cultural Affairs Specialist at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. As a cultural adviser to Caroline Kennedy (United States ambassador to Japan from 2013 to 2017) among other ambassadors, Nakanishi was involved in the planning and management of the United States’ cultural strategy in Japan. “I think [Portland Japanese Garden] is valuable because it encapsulates the full range of joy that gardens offer, and it has projects that people all over the world can enjoy, learn from and be inspired by,” Nakanishi shared.?Read more about his thoughts on Japanese gardens as an art form that supports ecological health. #portlandjapanesegarden #thoughtleadership #sustainability #japanesegardens #diplomacy

Last week, we celebrated our remarkable group of #volunteers. We're lucky to have 180 people from a diverse group of backgrounds (they speak a combined 15 different languages!). We truly could not operate without their help—whether it’s being friendly and super knowledgeable guides, literally getting down on the ground to weed and sweep, or aiding our programming teams to help ensure the Garden continues to provide an authentic window into Japanese culture. We recently profiled one of our longtime volunteers, Tsuru Tuenge. Tsuru shares: “Portland Japanese Garden is the best place to volunteer—you spend time in beautiful surroundings, get good exercise, and are surrounded by friends and interesting people.” Thank you, Tsuru! And thank you to all our volunteers. #portlandjapanesegarden #nonprofit

Summertime outdoors exploring the?Portland Japanese Garden, a 12-acre urban oasis set within Portland’s lush Washington Park ?? This new Cultural Village serves as a connector of the stunning Oregon landscape, Japanese arts, and a subtle architectural form. The expansion project was a collaboration between Hacker and our friends & partners at?KENGO KUMA & ASSOCIATES ?with landscape by?Walker Macy?and built by?Hoffman Construction Company. https://lnkd.in/gwmtZCxM ??:?Jeremy Bittermann

Each of us - our accomplishments and the work we do - is the product of those who came before us. "It takes 200 years to learn how to be a Japanese gardener" is one of my favorite quotes from when I started working at Portland Japanese Garden. It came from Dr. Tomoki Kato, President of Ueyakato Landscape Co in Kyoto and he wasn’t selling an elixir for immortality. His point was that only by combining the wisdom collected among us and from those who came before us can we be wholly qualified. That's why I loved seeing this callout in the new Lonely Planet article. Not only because we share space with some of Portland’s finest spaces like Oregon Zoo, International Rose Test Garden, and Hoyt Arboretum Friends but the quote from our Garden Curator, Hugo Torii speaks to building upon learnings from the past to be relevant for today. #japanesegarden #publicgardens #Portland #washingtonpark #gardenwisdom #quotes #gardendesign #peace #peacemaking #nonprofit