On Sunday, a beautiful thing happened.

A decades-old vision conceptualized by the dreamers and doers at Portland Japanese Garden became reality. Nearly three thousand people came to witness the conclusion of construction and celebrate our beautiful new beginning: the Cultural Crossing expansion.

A 20-person delegation from the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine traveled from Kamakura, Japan to bless the Cultural Village from our new Atsuhiko and Ina Goodwin Tateuchi Foundation Courtyard. There were traditional dance performances, beautiful ikebana flower arrangements, a Japanese style chado (tea) ceremony, lovely sounds of koto (Japanese harp) and the exuberant sounds of taiko (Japanese drums), and shamisen (a Japanese-style banjo).

Just one day prior, more than two thousand members came to the Garden for an exclusive look at the completed expansion. In the words of CEO Stephen Bloom, “Who would have thought that the empty cement landscape of the former Oregon zoo would be transformed into a place dedicated to beauty, nature, and learning more about one another?”

Now, we are taking another step forward and evolving our story. This is only the beginning.

Thank you, arigatou gozaimasu.