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2026 Art Exhibitions at Portland Japanese Garden: Traditional Japanese Art with a Contemporary Flair

Posted by Portland Japanese Garden on
A man has his back to the camera, as he works on a large painting.
Hiroshi Senju at work on Waterfall. Photo courtesy of Senju Studio LLC.

In 2026, Portland Japanese Garden is honored to welcome world-class exhibitions of contemporary art rooted in Japanese cultural traditions. Spanning mediums and materials including textile arts and woodblock printmaking, art exhibitions will showcase how contemporary artists are re-interpreting traditional craft into modern-day masterpieces. Mark your calendars as we share a preview of what to look forward to in the upcoming year.

Designing Nature: Elements of Harmony | Open Now Through February 23

a graphic that says Designing Nature: Elements of Harmony. Two hands are seen close up pruning a pine
Designing Nature: Elements of Harmony, Portland Japanese Garden’s art exhibition. It is open from September 27 through February 23.

For the first time, experience the artistry and spirit behind our very own Portland Japanese Garden through this special exhibition. Continuing from 2025, Designing Nature invites you to explore the history, traditions, and ideas that inform Japanese gardens. Inspired by a deep reverence for the natural world, Japanese garden designers weave the three key garden elements of water, plant, and stone to create harmonious outdoor spaces. In addition to showcasing aspects of Portland Japanese Garden’s design, the exhibition brings together classic and contemporary art informed by the same three elements that compose a garden: Waterfall, a large-scale painting by Hiroshi Senju, woven bamboo art by Chikuunsai Tanabe IV and Syoryu Honda, as well as suiseki viewing stones.

Enduring Impressions: Contemporary Woodblock Prints | March 7 – June 15

Photo courtesy of Takezasadō Co. LTD. Studio.

The beauty of nature leaves an impression through the vibrant art of mokuhanga, Japanese woodblock printing. Enduring Impressions represents a collaboration between Portland Japanese Garden and the Honolulu Museum of Art through a special exhibition of seven artists working with the contemporary international mokuhanga movement. Mokuhanga took the art world by storm when Japan reopened to foreign trade during the mid-1800s. The compositional style, bold colors, and exquisite craftsmanship left an enduring impression that continues to inspire artists today, as seen through the nature-inspired prints that each artist created specifically for this exhibition. Limited edition prints will be available for visitors to take home a piece from the show and support both the artists and the Garden.

The Textile Art of NUNO | October 2026 – January 2027

Courtesy of NUNO, photographer Hayashi Masayuki.

We are honored to welcome the inspiring art of NUNO to Portland Japanese Garden in fall of 2026. Founded in 1984, NUNO, which means fabric in Japanese, is a textile studio whose innovative designs have been featured in major museums such as Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Victoria & Albert Museum. NUNO has been pushing the boundaries to promote Japanese textile arts through new technology, sustainable practices, and cultivating weavers and dyers across Japan. Combining textile traditions with presentations that highlight a contemporary flair, Reiko Sudō, the influential designer and director of NUNO, will bring regional textile designs from across Japan to the Garden.