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O-Tsukimi, the Moonviewing Festival

Weather Notice: As you may have heard, Portland is anticipated to have high, gusty winds this weekend with Public Safety Power Shutoffs in some areas. We wanted to confirm that the festival for both Saturday (9/10) and Sunday (9/11) will proceed as planned, with safety precautions. We will update the website with the latest information.

Moonviewing, or O-Tsukimi in Japanese, is the custom of gazing at the full moon and enjoying its sacred beauty. Portland Japanese Garden schedules this beloved annual tradition to coincide with the harvest moon, which occurs anytime from September to early October.

Start the evening with an intimate and peaceful stroll through the lantern-lit Garden. Take in authentic Japanese music. Catch up with friends, old and new. Enjoy a cup of tea as you watch the harvest moon rise above the city. There is no better place in Portland to share the romance and mystery of the full moon than from the eastern overlook of the Portland Japanese Garden Pavilion.

Due to the varying times of the moonrise, please note that the event start time is as follows:

  • Saturday, September 10th: 7:00-9:00pm (moonrise is at 8:06pm)
  • Sunday, September 11th: 7:30-9:30pm (moonrise at 8:26pm)

In celebration of Moonviewing, the raked gravel in the Flat Garden is designed in a special, once-a-year checkerboard raking pattern; the alternating squares of white river gravel cast shadows in the moonlight. Experience the Flat Garden during Moonviewing through this video.


Event Details:

  • Tickets benefit Portland Japanese Garden cultural programming.
  • There will be traditional Japanese musical performances throughout the event. Patrick Johnson will perform shakuhachi on both nights. Yumi Torimaru will perform on tsugaru shamisen on Saturday and Mitsuki Dazai will perform on koto on Sunday.
  • Light meal and beverages will be served.
  • This event will take place rain or shine.
  • Please no tripods or flash photography.

Thank you to our sponsors: