Seattle Japanese Garden facts for kids
The Seattle Japanese Garden is a peaceful 3.5-acre park in the Madison Park neighborhood of Seattle. It's located at the southern end of the Washington Park Arboretum near Lake Washington. This garden is one of the oldest Japanese gardens in North America. Many people consider it one of the most real and traditional Japanese gardens in the United States.
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How the Garden Started
Plans to build a Japanese garden in the Arboretum began way back in 1937. It took 20 years of raising money before the project could finally start. Experts named Kiyoshi Inoshita and Juki Iida were chosen as the designers. They finished their plans in 1959.
Juki Iida picked William Yorozu to be the main person in charge of the plants. Richard Yamasaki was chosen for placing the stones. Kei Ishimitsu was responsible for building the garden structures. The careful construction began and was finished the very next year, in 1960.
Building the garden involved bringing over 500 huge granite boulders from the Cascade mountains. These rocks weighed from 1,000 pounds up to 11 tons! They were wrapped in bamboo mats for their journey to Madison Valley. The rocks were then carefully placed to go well with different types of plants. These plants included azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, mosses, and ferns.
The Teahouse Story
The garden once had a special teahouse called 'Shoseian'. The city of Tokyo in Japan gave this teahouse as a gift in 1959. Sadly, this first teahouse was burned down by vandals on April 9, 1973.
It took eight years for the Arboretum Foundation to raise enough money. Finally, the teahouse was rebuilt by Yasunori "Fred" Sugita in 1980 and 1981.
New Additions and Awards
The garden has also made other important improvements. These include a new gatehouse and a community meeting room. The gatehouse project was finished in 2009. This new building has a cool bronze gate. It was designed by a local Seattle artist named Gerard Tsutakawa.
The Seattle Japanese Garden received a special award on December 1, 2020. The Japanese Foreign Minister gave them a Commendation. This award was for their work in helping Japan and the United States understand each other better.
Fun Cultural Events
The Seattle Japanese Garden holds many fun cultural celebrations throughout the year. These events are a great way to learn about Japanese traditions. Some of the events include:
- Kodomo no Hi (Children's Day)
- Tanabata (Star Festival)
- Wondering and Wandering
- Otsukimi (Moon Viewing)
- Keiro no Hi (Respect for Elders Day)
- Momijigari (Maple Viewing)
These special events often feature local performers. You might see calligraphers showing their art. There are also exciting taiko drum groups and traditional dancers. Sometimes, you can hear traditional Japanese musicians too!
Who Helps Run the Garden?
The Seattle Japanese Garden is a team effort. It's a partnership between the City of Seattle, the Associated Recreation Council (which includes the Seattle Japanese Garden Advisory Council), and the Washington Park Arboretum.
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