Launch Event Marks Important Milestone at the "Japan Institute"

The Portland Japanese Garden, and all its associated programs, is an enterprise that has been established, expanded, and developed with the support of the community. The Japanese Garden's ability to attract 500,000 people each year, and to communicate Japanese ideals and values simply through nature, has provided an opportunity for the American public to understand Japanese culture and to promote grassroots exchange.

Now the Garden has taken a new step forward with the creation of the "Japan Institute". Building on the spirit of mutual respect, peace and cultural understanding that Japanese gardens foster, it has sent a powerful message in demonstrating that a garden is not just a place of peaceful respite and quiet contemplation. It can also be a forum for the exchange of ideas, education, and creative interchange, facilitating important conversations among diverse people who seek peace in the world. This is an important and exciting beginning.

We believe that the Japan Institute will contribute to the realization of a peaceful and understanding society, both here in the Northwest and around the world. We are deeply grateful to the staff working on this great project and to the citizens who support it, and we are honored to participate and collaborate in this effort.

On March 24, 2022, Ambassador of Japan to the United States Koji Tomita visited the Portland Japanese Garden and toured the garden.
He was also briefed on the ongoing "Japan Institute" project.
(Photo by Jonathan Ley)

On April 21, 2022, the site and buildings where the new "Japan Institute" is to be housed were opened to the public, and a ceremony was held to mark the handover of the facility.