Portland Japanese Garden

The Portland Japanese Garden is renowned as the most authentic and finest Japanese garden outside of Japan. Founded in 1963 and nestled in Washington Park above downtown Portland, Oregon, the Garden is one of the most important Japanese cultural institutions in North America. 400,000 visitors annually visit this national treasure and participate in its art, cultural, and educational programs. The Garden strives to provide every visitor with an inspiring experience of the beauty and tranquility of the Japanese garden art form. At the same time, the Garden is at the beginning point of engaging diverse audiences to expand their understanding of Japan and themselves. Formal and informal education and cultural programs are offered so that visitors of any background or age will find something that is personally meaningful to them. First-of-a-kind art exhibitions focused on Japanese arts, artists, and craftsmanship illuminate cross-cultural dialogue and understanding of the Japanese garden as an art form. 

An expansion of educational and visitor facilities has long been needed because the Garden’s original facilities were designed for 30,000 visitors/year. Internationally renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma has designed a Cultural Village with new educational and visitor facilities and a new entry area on SW Kingston. Garden Curator Sadafumi Uchiyama has designed new garden areas to surround the Village and entry area. Construction of this Cultural Crossing project began in September 2015 and completed April 2017. As part of this project, the Garden has also launched a comprehensive training program for Japanese garden professionals and amateurs, the Japanese Garden Training Center.

The Garden has a year-round staff of 80+ FTE’s and 20+ seasonal staff supplemented by over 300 volunteers. It is an exciting time at the Portland Japanese Garden – a time to help this historic organization set the course for a successful next 50 years with expanded facilities and programs.