PORTLAND, Ore., United States—September 22, 2025—Portland Japanese Garden is delighted to announce its final art exhibition of 2025: Designing Nature: Elements of Harmony. Opening Saturday, September 27 and running through February 23, 2026, this exhibition invites visitors to explore the history, techniques, and traditions behind this timeless art form—revealing the depth, intention, and beauty that define Japanese garden design.
Designing Nature will be shown throughout the Garden:
Pavilion Gallery to Feature Work of Internationally-Renowned Artists
Designing Nature will feature beautiful and captivating art from a range of artists based in locations throughout the world. This includes a large-scale waterfall painting of famed contemporary nihonga painter Hiroshi Senju, a bamboo sculpture from Tanabe Chikuunsai IV and acclaimed artist Honda Syoryu from the collection of Peter Shinbach, a selection of suiseki (landscape scene stones) from the collection of Andrew and Jeffrey Robson, and scale miniatures of Portland Japanese Garden by local model maker Aimee Eng.
Four Prominent Gardens of Japan Presented in the Calvin and Mayho Tanabe Gallery
Travel to Japan through a curated selection of photographs from four prominent public gardens: Kairaku-en, Kenroku-en, Koraku-en, and Ritsurin Garden in the Calvin and Mayho Tanabe Gallery. Members and visitors are also invited to learn more about the rich history and traditions of garden design from a selection of books in our Vollum Library, located on the Learning Center’s second floor.
Stunning Images of Portland Japanese Garden Exhibited in the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Art Learning Center
Photographer Stu Levy has been a neighbor of the Garden for over 50 years and has captured its timeless beauty through his black and white images of scenes that echo across the years. From flowing water to mist in the trees, these images evoke meditative moments through a unique perspective.
Contemporary Bamboo Art in the Cathy Rudd Cultural Corner
From October 18 through November 17, Cross Currents will be on display in the Cathy Rudd Cultural Corner. Crafted by Portland-based bamboo artist Anne Crumpacker, Cross Currents showcases her innovative crosscut bamboo technique through this installation of interwoven panels that evoke a meditative landscape.
Portland Japanese Garden would like to thank The Miller Foundation and Toshiba International Foundation for their support of arts and culture programming.
Event Information
Designing Nature: Elements of Harmony
September 27, 2025 – February 23, 2026
Portland Japanese Garden
611 SW Kingston Ave. Portland, OR 97205
(503) 223-1321 (main)
Cost: Included with Daily Admission
Hours & Admission found here
Visual Assets
Images can be found in this Dropbox folder. The photographer’s name is in the file name. Please stylize the credit as “Courtesy of Portland Japanese Garden, photo by [fill in name].” If no photographer is listed, “Courtesy of Portland Japanese Garden” will suffice.
Media Contact
Will Lerner, Communications Manager
(503) 542-9351 (office)
wlerner@japanesegarden.org
About Portland Japanese Garden
Portland Japanese Garden is a nonprofit organization originally founded in 1963 as a place for cross-cultural understanding following World War II. A hallmark in the City of Portland, the Garden was founded on the ideals of peace and mutual understanding between peoples and cultures. Portland Japanese Garden is considered the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan and the foremost Japanese cultural organization in North America.
About Japan Institute
Japan Institute was established in 2020 as a global cultural initiative of Portland Japanese Garden. This sibling organization is the programmatic arm of Portland Japanese Garden, allowing us to share and expand our cultural programs more broadly around the world, deepen international partnerships, and continue to engage diverse people in shared experiences and conversations about peace, beauty, and connection of nature.
Portland Japanese Garden & Japan Institute share the mission: Inspiring Harmony and Peace.