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Cultural Festivals

O-Shogatsu Festival, Japanese New Year

The exciting shishi-mai, or lion dance, will be held during the festival. Photo by Jonathan Ley.

Come join us for the Garden’s O-Shogatsu celebration!

O-Shogatsu is a time of celebration for the start of a new year and hopes of happiness and prosperity to come. At the Garden, we honor this special festival twice: once in appreciation for our members only on New Year’s Day and then again on January 8 this year with traditional decorations and activities.  

Many programs will be taking place at various times and locations around the Garden. Please see the program below for an overview:

10:45am & 11:45am – Shishimai (lion dance) by PSU Taiko at the Pavilion East Veranda

1:30pm & 2:00pm – Hatsugama, the first tea ceremony of the year in the Cathy Rudd Cultural Corner

1:00pm to 3:30 pm – Sumi-e, Japanese brush painting: Stop in to learn how to paint a rabbit, in honor of the year of the rabbit.

Longtime partner of the Garden, Portland Coffee Roasters, will be preparing and serving complimentary coffee to visitors during this event. Thank you, Portland Coffee Roasters!

Let’s celebrate the beginning of 2023 together!