Portland Japanese Garden was honored to be covered by our friends in local media here in Oregon as well as national and international outlets. Please enjoy some highlights of the fabulous coverage we received in 2021.
Local Outlets
KGW, Portland’s local NBC affiliate, broadcasted live from the Garden during the Tokyo Olympic Games, as you may recall. While they were here they crafted several wonderful pieces featuring the Garden and its supporters and staff. These include:
- A wonderful piece on Portland Japanese Garden’s history featuring footage and photographs of the space being planned and designed in the 1960s and events from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
- An interview with Portland Japanese Garden CEO Steve Bloom, who explained the Garden’s important mission and how the space is designed to give people a place to find calm.
- An interview with one of the Garden’s earliest and greatest supporters, Board Member Emerita Margueritte “Maggie” Drake. Ms. Drake shared wonderful insights dating back to the Garden’s genesis in the 1960s.
- A feature introducing Portland to Hugo Torii as he assumed the role of Garden curator.
KOIN, the CBS affiliate in Portland, was a repeat visitor to the Garden:
- In March KOIN visited with Megumi Kato to cover how Portland Japanese Garden was adding a sixth day to its schedule. Reporter Kohr Harlan described the Garden as the jewel of Portland’s west hills and a “great asset” to the city.
- In June, reporter Kohr Harlan returned to cover the re-opening of the Umami Café and chat with Megumi and our café manager, Stephanie Erickson. Harlan shared how he believes it’s a great place for an “adult time out.”
The Oregonian journalist Jamie Hale wrote, “one of Portland’s best attractions, the Portland Japanese Garden is a peaceful escape any time of year” in his article describing how memberships to Portland-area museums and gardens was a perfect gift for the holiday.
Portland Monthly writer Gabriel Granillo listed the Garden in a neighborhood guide of Goose Hollow, noting how our “hushed walkways” provide an opportunity for quiet reflection.
The Yuuyake Shimbum included a glowing review of our final art exhibition of 2021, Ukiyo-e to Shin Hanga: Changing Tastes in Japanese Woodblock Prints. It included a wonderful shoutout to volunteer Polly Lauser, noting she was “truly an inspiration and blessing to talk to and learn from” and that “The Portland Japanese Gardens is more than just a garden; it’s a living, breathing microcosm maintained by people who truly care about it.”
The Portland Tribune reporter Jason Vondersmith interviewed Irwin Lavenberg about his collection of Japanese woodblock prints, which, of course, are displayed in Ukiyo-e to Shin Hanga.
National Outlets
The AP (Associated Press), the world’s largest news agency and an organization that has its articles shared across dozens of major newspapers and websites, featured “Bringing Nature In: Japanese Gardens Speak to the Moment” by journalist Katherine Roth in which the relevancy and importance of Japanese gardens were discussed. The piece featured our chief curator, Sada Uchiyama, who discussed the evolution of Japanese gardens in the U.S. and the maintenance they require.
Top Chef. This spring, the extremely popular reality competition show on Bravo aired its Portland season which included an entire episode at the Garden. Several writers who covered the series included very kind words about the Garden:
- In her recap, Willamette Week writer Andrea Damewood noted the “[Portland Japanese Garden] is looking glorious.”
- Oregonian writer Kristi Turnquist noted, “we learned — or were reminded, speaking on behalf of us locals — that the Portland Japanese Garden is simply gorgeous.”
- Top Chef contestant Byron Gomez praised the Garden as a “beautiful and authentic” setting in his conversation with Zagat.
NBC journalist Zoe Malin wrote about how to create Japanese zen gardens and featured quotes from our marketing director, Megumi Kato.
Reader’s Digest had two different articles praising the Garden:
- The first by Leandra Beabout included Portland Japanese Garden among the 23 most beautiful gardens in America and noted that “on the cusp of summer, the garden is green, the path boundaries velvety with moss, while the koi fish do laps around the sunny ponds.”
- The second provided their readers a guide to visiting Oregon, in which Portland Japanese Garden is described as “not to be missed,” per author Tamara Gane.
AAA’s MidAtlantic chapter magazine, Club Alliance, reaches 7 million readers in 13 states. Writer JoAnn Greco covered just three Japanese Gardens and led with Portland Japanese Garden, noting it “goes beyond the expected.”
Redbook writer Emy Rodriguez Flores glowingly shared that Portland Japanese Garden is “serene enough to calm anyone” in his guide to the best staycations by state in the U.S.
House Beautiful intended to cover the country’s most gorgeous botanical gardens, but writer Megy Karydes couldn’t resist including Portland Japanese Garden, noting the distinction while writing that visitors would find “respite” here.
ThyBlackMan had a list of things to do in Oregon when you’re retired and contributor Ricky Jacobs noted Portland Japanese Garden is a “magical fairy-like garden.”
mitú featured a sponsored post by Travel Oregon, and writer Mike Tenango enthusiastically shared that “of all the cool things to do in Portland, the Japanese Garden is by far my favorite.”
Yanko Design contributor Sishti Mitra included the Garden’s Cultural Village among a collection of Japanese architectural designs that embody zen.
Tiny Beans and writer Annette Benedetti shared ways to support Asian American nonprofits and included Portland Japanese Garden, writing that it’s a “haven of serenity.”
Marie Claire included Portland Japanese Garden in their “Instagram Guide to Portland.” Writer Laura Studarus raved, “The immaculately manicured 5.5-acre garden is a dream for plant lovers—lush and green in the summer, and a riot of red, orange, and yellow in autumn.”
TheTravel writer Aaron Spray wrote a great longform feature on Portland Japanese Garden full of facts and stunning visuals from our the Garden’s Instagram account.
International Outlets
MSN and its network of international websites reaching millions featured the Garden in separate pieces:
- The first included Portland Japanese Garden as among the most beautiful public gardens in the U.S.
- The second included the laceleaf maple in the Strolling Pond Garden among the most awe-inspiring trees in the world.
Suitcase had a wonderful time in Portland and we’re a reason why. Writer Olivia Squire glowingly writes about Portland Japanese Garden’s “…12 acres of perfectly harmonised sand, stone and slanting sunlight, as well as a “Cultural Village” designed by the architect Kengo Kuma.”
Regional Outlets
Fabulous Washington included “tranquil streams and an authentic tea house” among the reasons why Portland Japanese Garden is “well worth the visit” in their recommendations for a Portland road trip.
The Columbian journalist Scott Hewitt included a quote from watercolorist and Japanese-born Mikiko Flynn in which Flynn noted that the Garden is “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan.”
The Seattle Times and writer Brendan Kiley took a trip down to Portland to sample vegan food. His focus was on different local restaurants but he still managed took time to visit “Portland’s large, excellent complex of Japanese gardens.”
If you work for a media company and would like to do a piece on the Garden, please click here.