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 Portland Japanese Garden, we honor the most important holiday in Japan twice: first on New Year’s Day exclusively for our members in appreciation of their support, and then again on January 11 for our community with traditional decorations and activities.
The Garden will celebrate the beginning of 2026, the Year of the Horse, or uma in Japanese, from 10:00am to 2:30pm with family-friendly activities and performances. Guests can also admire kadomatsu, or traditional arrangements of pine, bamboo, and plum branches, made by our gardeners.
Schedule:
Many programs will be taking place at various times and locations around the Garden. Please see the program below for an overview:
9:30am – 10am (Exclusive to Members): Sumi-e, Japanese ink-wash painting in the Yanai Family Classroom
Stop in to learn how to paint a horse, in honor of the Year of the Horse. According to folklore, people born under this zodiac sign are sociable, quick thinkers, and skilled at both finances and paying compliments.
10:00am – 2:30pm: Sumi-e, Japanese ink-wash painting in the Yanai Family Classroom
Beginning at 10am, the public is welcome to join our members in the Yanai Family Classroom to honor the Year of the Horse through ink-wash painting.
10:30am: Edo Kotobuki Jishi, the celebratory traditional lion dance of Tokyo, performed by Portland Shishimai Kai in the Jan Miller Living Room. Following this performance, Eien Hunter-Ishikawa will give a talk about the celebratory traditional lion dance of Tokyo.
12:15pm: Edo Kotobuki Jishi, the celebratory traditional lion dance of Tokyo, performed by Portland Shishimai Kai in the Jan Miller Living Room.
Throughout Japan, shishimai has been used for hundreds of years to bring good luck and chase away evil spirits. During this performance, the shishi (lion) will go into the audience and gently bite people’s heads to offer good luck for the rest of the year. It is common in Japan to see audiences waving bills of money to attract the shishi to come in their direction. Shishimai is typically performed during New Year’s celebrations, weddings, company functions, parties, and other festive occasions.
About Portland Shishimai Kai
Portland Shishimai Kai is a group dedicated to performing and teaching the traditional celebratory lion dance of Tokyo, the Edo Kotobuki Jishi. The group also performs Edo Bayashi (traditional festival music of Tokyo) and the Ryomen Odori (double-masked dance). Under the close mentorship of Kyosuke Suzuki of Wakayama Shachu, they aim to preserve their history and culture by offering good luck to businesses, organizations, and anyone who celebrates in the presence of the shishi. Membership to the Portland Shishimai Kai is open to anyone interested in helping to introduce and deepen appreciation of this art form to a wider audience.
About Eien Hunter-Ishikawa
Eien Hunter-Ishikawa is a musician based in Portland, Oregon and is the founder of Portland Shishimai Kai. Eien started learning Edo Kotobuki Jishi in 2001 under the instruction of Kenny Endo, continuing on to study with Kyosuke Suzuki, a longtime member of Wakayama Shachu (Nationally Designated Important Intangible Cultural Asset of Folk Arts). Since 2011, Eien has coordinated Suzuki sensei’s United States performance and teaching tours, providing translation and organizational assistance. He has been granted approval to teach all four parts (mai, taiko, shinobue, atarigane) of Wakayama Ryu Edo Bayashi, Ryomen Odori, and Kotobuki Jishi.
Portland Japanese Garden is celebrating O-Shogatsu throughout the beginning of January! Make sure you plan your visit today so you can attend these specially-themed events.
January 1: New Year’s Day, Members-Only
January 3: Cultural Performance: Koto and Storytelling by Oregon Koto-Kai
January 9: Cultural Performance: Shinobue & Piano by Maido Mind
January 11: O-Shogatsu Festival, Japanese New Year
Book tickets now
Longtime partner of the Garden, Portland Coffee Roasters, will be preparing and serving complimentary coffee to visitors during this event outside the Lemelson Studio while supplies last. Additionally, The Jasmine Pearl Tea Company will be serving complimentary tea outside of the Lemelson Studio while supplies last. Schedule of service to be announced. Thank you, Portland Coffee Roasters and The Jasmine Pearl Tea Company!
