Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu Memorial Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu Memorial Park
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Sanju Pagoda
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 Location in Hawaii
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| Location | 22 Craigside Place, Honolulu, Hawaii |
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| Area | 2.2 acres (0.89 ha) |
| Built | 1966 |
| Architect | Katsuyoshi, Robert; et al. |
| Architectural style | Japonism |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000020 |
| Added to NRHP | February 11, 2004 |
The Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu Memorial Park is a special place in Honolulu, Hawaii. It's known for its beautiful Japanese-style buildings and gardens. You can see a tall, three-story Sanju Pagoda, a building called the Kinkaku-ji Temple, and peaceful Mirror Gardens. These structures and gardens are amazing examples of traditional Japanese design, even though they are built outside of Japan. The gardens were added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 11, 2004, which means they are important to history.
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History of Kyoto Gardens
The Honolulu Memorial Park started in 1958. Later, between 1964 and 1966, the Buddhist Kinkaku-ji memorial and the Sanju Pagoda were built. These were part of the Nuʻuanu Memorial Gardens Funerary Home. In 1966, the name changed to Kyoto Gardens. This happened when the city of Kyoto, Japan, gave a special bronze bell to the park. A famous Buddhist leader, Abbot Jikai Murakami from Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji, was there for the opening.
Amazing Japanese Structures
The Kyoto Gardens feature several structures that look just like famous buildings in Japan.
The Sanju Pagoda
The Sanju Pagoda in Honolulu is a copy of the Hokke-ji Temple in Nara, Japan. The original temple was built a long time ago, between 1571 and 1602. The pagoda here is made from concrete and steel. It's even a bit bigger than the original! From its base to the roof, it stands 80 feet tall. If you include the copper spire on top, it reaches an impressive 116 feet.
The Kinkaku-ji Temple
The Kinkaku-ji building is modeled after the famous Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan. The original Golden Pavilion was built between 1335 and 1573. The Kinkaku-ji here has three stories and is 38 feet tall. It's built with a steel frame and a plaster finish. On its roof, you can see a beautiful phoenix statue. Both the Sanju Pagoda and the Kinkaku-ji are used as columbariums. This means they are places where urns with ashes are kept.
Mirror Lake Garden
The Mirror Lake Garden surrounds the Kinkaku-ji building. This garden also shows the style of Japanese gardens from the Muromachi Period (1335–1573). It's designed to be a peaceful and reflective space, just like the gardens in Japan.
