On this page you can find all of our published articles related to Japan Institute, its programming, its campus, and its people.

Articles

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  Indigenous Knowledge Expert and Granddaughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Lungi Morrison, on Her Relationship with Portland Japanese Garden and Japan InstituteNovember 22, 2024
  Lungi Morrison, a granddaughter of Nobel Peace Prize Winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Indigenous knowledge scholar, sat down to discuss her work and partnership with Portland Japanese Garden and Japan Institute.
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  LionTree Chief Impact Officer & Former President and CEO of UNICEF USA on Leaving the World Better Than How We Found ItOctober 23, 2024
  Ahead of her remarks at Portland Japanese Garden’s 2024 Annual Golden Crane Society Reception, Caryl Stern sat down with us to chat about her work and blossoming friendship with Portland Japanese Garden and Japan Institute.
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  Yoko Ono Wish Tree Art Installation Brings Message of Hope to Portland Japanese Garden and Gardens Around the WorldJuly 16, 2024
  Led by Japan Institute, Portland Japanese Garden’s global cultural initiative and sibling organization, public gardens around the world presented the collaborative installation: SPREAD PEACE: Wish Tree by Yoko Ono. The Wish Tree was shown simultaneously from June 7-10 at Portland Japanese Garden in its Cultural Village, Keihanna Commemorative Garden in Japan, Kokoro no Niwa in Chile, and Johannesburg Botanical Gardens in South Africa.
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  Portland Japanese Garden and Japan Institute Donate Peace Lantern to Brooklyn Botanic GardenJuly 10, 2024
  In June, Portland Japanese Garden, through its sibling organization and global cultural initiative, Japan Institute, formally presented a handcrafted replica of its beloved Peace Lantern to one of the most revered and famous public gardens in the United States, Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
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  New York Peace Symposium Features Poetry Readings by Nomi StoneMarch 13, 2024
  On September 21, the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, Japan Institute held its third Peace Symposium at Japan Society in New York, New York, U.S. Among the many highlights of this free and public event was a commissioned poetry reading by Nomi Stone, work that is available to read here.
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  South Africa Peace Symposia Feature Poetry Readings by Siphokazi JonasMarch 13, 2024
  On November 30th and December 4th, Japan Institute held its fourth and fifth Peace Symposia in Cape Town and Johannesburg, respectively. Among the many highlights of these free and public events were commissioned poetry readings by Siphokazi Jonas, work that is available to read here.
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  A Shared Purpose: Portland Japanese Garden & Japan Institute’s Partnership with the Nobel Peace CenterMarch 12, 2024
  Since the establishment of its sibling organization Japan Institute in 2022, Portland Japanese Garden has seen its relationship with many vitally important international organizations blossom. Among these is a globally recognized leader in peacemaking: the Nobel Peace Center.
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  Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Director on Peace Making Through GardensMarch 12, 2024
  Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden partnered with Nobel Peace Center and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew for the Peace Symposium, Peacemaking at the Intersection of Culture, Art, and Nature in December 2022 in the United Kingdom. Read a transcription of the opening remarks given by Richard Deverell, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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  The Power of Portland: Living Traditions Marks Renewed Focus on Portland-Based Programming for Japan InstituteFebruary 27, 2024
  On February 3, more than 200 people gathered in the atrium space of Wieden + Kennedy (W+K), an iconic Portland advertising agency with offices around the world along with deep ties with Japan. The excited crowd filed in to attend the newest installment of Living Traditions, a series of conversations and talks that explore some of the most iconic facets of Japanese culture and traditions.
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  Healing at the Individual Level To Achieve Lasting Peace: Japan Institute Brings Peace Programming to South AfricaFebruary 12, 2024
  Learn more about Japan Institute’s South Africa Peace Programming at the end of 2023.
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  Japan Institute Holds Peace Symposium in New YorkDecember 8, 2023
  On September 21, the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, Japan Institute held its third Peace Symposium at Japan Society’s headquarters in New York, New York. Global thought leaders presented on topics related to the symposium’s theme of “The Intersection of Culture, Art, and Nature.” The following captures some highlights of the program through quotes.
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  Japan Institute Donates Gift of Friendship to Johannesburg Botanical GardenDecember 5, 2023
  Photos of the event will be shared when available. PORTLAND, Oregon, U.S. & JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – December 5 – On December 5th, Japan Institute, a global cultural initiative and sibling organization of Portland Japanese Garden, itself an American nonprofit cultural institution and public garden based in Portland, Oregon, U.S., had the distinct honor of …
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  Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden to Present Peace Symposia in Cape Town & JohannesburgNovember 21, 2023
  Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden, a nonprofit public garden and cultural organization based out of Portland, Oregon in the United States, is excited to announce two Peace Symposia that will take place in Cape Town (30/11/2023) and Johannesburg (04/12/2023). Japan Institute’s Peace Symposia series is the signature event of its Peace Program.
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  The Relationship Between Doing and Becoming: International Japanese Garden Training Center Welcomes Learners for 2023 Waza to Kokoro SeminarSeptember 28, 2023
  The Training Center’s flagship program is Waza to Kokoro: Hands and Heart, a seminar that educates professionals in Japanese principles of landscape design, construction, and gardening.
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  New Perspectives Found in Reflection: Japan Institute Artist-in-Residence Takahiro Iwasaki on His New ExhibitionSeptember 28, 2023
  Learn how Takahiro Iwasaki’s upbringing in Hiroshima and visit to Portland influenced his new exhibition at Portland Japanese Garden.
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  Portland Japanese Garden to Debut Exhibition from Leading Contemporary Japanese Artist, Takahiro IwasakiSeptember 19, 2023
  Portland Japanese Garden is excited to debut its latest art exhibition, Takahiro Iwasaki: Nature of Perception, starting September 24.
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  Announcing Peace Symposium New York 2023, Co-Presented by Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden and Japan SocietyAugust 31, 2023
  Japan Society New York and Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden are pleased to announce Peace Symposium New York 2023.
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  Portland Japanese Garden and Japan Institute Hire Executive Director to Oversee New Japan OfficeAugust 8, 2023
  Portland Japanese Garden and Japan Institute have opened an office in Tokyo, Japan and have hired Misako Ito to be its first Executive Director.
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  The International Japanese Garden Training Center: Blending Tradition and Modernity to Offer World-Class InstructionJune 9, 2023
  The International Japanese Garden Training Center, or Training Center for short, teaches the traditional skills and techniques for creating and fostering Japanese gardens, while acquainting learners with the garden’s cultural heart.
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  From Visual Art Source: ‘Subtle Intimacy’ is “Dreamy, Mesmerizing, and More Than a Little Elegiac”April 12, 2023
  In April, author, critic, and curator Richard Speer reviewed Subtle Intimacy: Here and There, Portland Japanese Garden’s first new art exhibition of 2023 .
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  From Oregon ArtsWatch: ‘Subtle Intimacy’ is “An Ethereal Experience”April 2, 2023
  Jason N. Le, writing for Oregon ArtsWatch, included Portland Japanese Garden’s first new art exhibition of 2023, Subtle Intimacy: Here and There, in his recommended visual arts shows happening in April.
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  From KGW-TV: Subtle Intimacy Art Exhibition is “Garden Experience that Sparkles”March 28, 2023
  KGW-TV, Portland’s NBC affiliate, sent journalist Steve Redlin to Portland Japanese Garden to cover our first new art exhibition of 2023, Subtle Intimacy: Here and There. Redlin’s piece featured some comments from a visitor to the Garden who shared that she felt it was “beautiful. There’s no other words to explain it!”
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  From The Portland Tribune: Subtle Intimacy “Invites Views to Marvel” at Art on DisplayMarch 24, 2023
  The Portland Tribune journalist Joseph Gallivan visited Subtle Intimacy: Here and There, Portland Japanese Garden’s new art exhibition featuring the work of Japan Institute’s inaugural Artist-in-Residence, Rui Sasaki.
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  From The Oregonian: Subtle Intimacy Among Portland Art Shows Celebrating Women and Sense of SelfMarch 23, 2023
  Writing for The Oregonian, arts writer and journalist Briana Miller included Portland Japanese Garden’s first new art exhibition of 2023, Subtle Intimacy: Here and There among intriguing new exhibitions opening this spring. Miller writes, “The multiple installations in this garden-wide exhibition continue glass artist Rui Sasaki ruminations on place and time.”
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  Victoria Adukwei Bulley Performs Moving Poetry Reading at London Peace Symposium 2022February 16, 2023
  Japan Institute is holding Peace Symposia on six continents, the first having been held in Tokyo, Japan on September 21, 2022 and the second in London, England on December 6, 2022. Attendees of this second symposium heard keynote and welcome addresses, discussions on peace, art, and the human relationship with the natural world, and a …
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  Nobel Peace Center and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Partner with Japan Institute for London Peace SymposiumFebruary 2, 2023
  In December 2022, Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden took its international peace programming to the United Kingdom.
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  Making the Ephemeral TimelessDecember 15, 2022
  Earlier this year, the Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden announced that the internationally-acclaimed Sasaki had been selected as the organization’s very first artist-inresidence. Over two separate journeys east from her homebase of Kanazawa, Japan, Sasaki will be collecting Portland Japanese Garden’s plant life for a 2023 exhibition – Subtle Intimacy: Here and There on show from March 18 – June 12, 2023.
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  The Light and Hope of Peacemaking December 15, 2022
  On September 21, 2022 the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden held its inaugural Peace Symposium, “Peacemaking at the Intersection of Culture, Art, and Nature” in Tokyo, Japan.
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  Japan Institute to present Peace Lantern to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London, EnglandNovember 21, 2022
  On December 8, 2022 at 3:15 pm GMT, Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden will present a stone Peace Lantern to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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  2023 Art ExhibitionsNovember 3, 2022
  In 2023, Portland Japanese Garden will continue to be a destination for those interested in experiencing world-class Japanese art and culture in one of the world’s most celebrated gardens.
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  Gathering the Voices: Yumi Fuzuki Gives Stirring Poetry Reading at Tokyo Peace Symposium 2022October 25, 2022
  Among the highlights of a day filled with many at Japan Institute’s first Peace Symposium in Tokyo in September 2022 was a commissioned poetry reading by Yumi Fuzuki.
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  From KOIN-TV: Peace Programming in TokyoSeptember 20, 2022
  KOIN-TV, Portland’s CBS affiliate, covered Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden’s peace programming in Japan, which included dedication ceremonies of donated Peace Lanterns to the cities of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Tokyo, as well as a Peace Symposium on the United Nations International Day of Peace.
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  Portland Japanese Garden CEO Steve Bloom Receives Kaneko AwardSeptember 20, 2022
  Steve Bloom, Chief Executive Officer of Portland Japanese Garden and the Japan Institute, has been awarded the Kaneko Kentaro Award. The honor, referred to as the Kaneko Award, was established by the America-Japan Society in 2017 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its founding. This award has been bestowed upon Bloom in recognition of his longstanding contributions to grassroots exchanges between Japan and the United States.
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  Lecture Explores Royal Relations Between Japan and the U.K.September 15, 2022
  On September 7, 2022, the Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden hosted a lecture from Jason James, Director General of the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation in London, England.
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  Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden to Host Inaugural Peace Symposium in Tokyo, JapanSeptember 12, 2022
  On September 21, the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, the Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden will hold its inaugural Peace Symposium, “Peacemaking at the Intersection of Culture, Art, and Nature” in Tokyo, Japan.
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  From Oregon Artswatch: New Additions to an Old TreasureSeptember 6, 2022
  Oregon Artswatch explores Portland Japanese Garden’s history and design and highlights the Japan Institute’s first Artist-in-Residence, Rui Sasaki.
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  Renowned Expert Speaks on the Role of Gardens in Our Changing WorldAugust 29, 2022
  On July 31, the Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden and Portland Art Museum co-presented a lecture by Richard Deverell, Director of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London. Speaking in front of a full house at Portland Art Museum’s Whitsell Auditorium, Deverell spoke to how Kew, one of the largest and most acclaimed gardens in the world, has transformed itself since he was hired as Director in 2012 in light of a changing planet.
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  Subtle Appreciation in Daily Life: Rui SasakiAugust 5, 2022
  On August 31, the Japan Institute’s Global Center for Culture and Art will welcome internationally acclaimed Japanese artist, Rui Sasaki, as its first Artist-in-Residence (AiR).
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  The Peace Lantern: Symbolizing Friendship and Casting the Light of Everlasting Peace August 5, 2022
  In September, the Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden will present exact replicas of the Peace Lantern to the cities of Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Tokyo ahead of the Japan Institute’s Peace Symposium, “Peacemaking at the Intersection of Culture, Art, and Nature” in Tokyo.
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  Finding Common Ground Through the Beauty of NatureAugust 5, 2022
  Portland Japanese Garden leadership recently had a chance to host three representatives from Inhotim, as part of their visit to Portland for the American Public Gardens Association’s annual conference in June. The visit was an opportunity to learn more about each other in preparation for our third Peace Symposium in São Paulo, currently scheduled for the summer of 2023, and will be in collaboration with Inhotim.
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  Portland Japanese Garden & Portland Art Museum to Co-Present Lecture Exploring How Gardens are Living MuseumsJuly 25, 2022
  Portland Japanese Garden and Portland Art Museum are co-presenting a lecture by Richard Deverell, Director of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (London), titled “Kew as a Global Living Museum: Gardens as a Metaphor for Change, Creativity, and Community-Building.” This event will take place on Sunday, July 31 at 1:30pm PDT in the Whitsell Auditorium at Portland Art Museum.
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  Peacemaking at the Intersection of Culture, Art, and Nature: Japan Institute Events in 2022July 19, 2022
  The Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden has an incredible array of events, gatherings, and offerings in 2022.
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  From Oregon Public Broadcasting: Portland’s Japan Institute Seeks to Grow Diplomacy Through Art and GardeningMay 23, 2022
  OPB reported on what the Japan Institute will do through its three programming centers as well as why this organization is needed now.
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  From the Portland Tribune: Portland Japanese Garden to expand with eye on artsApril 26, 2022
  The Portland Tribune journalist Joseph Gallivan wrote on the future home of the Japan Institute after attending our recent handoff event that celebrated our acquisition of a property from The Salvation Army. To read more about the Japan Institute, click here. Photo by Nina Johnson.
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  Inspiring Harmony and PeaceMarch 30, 2022
  With this refined mission providing a clear way forward, the Garden and Institute will take intertwining paths to inspire harmony and peace. The Garden will focus on achieving its mission through culture, art, and nature and the Japan Institute will make these gains with an emphasis on dialogue, diplomacy, and knowledge.
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  The Japan Institute: Updates on the Road AheadJanuary 10, 2022
  Portland Japanese Garden is more than 12.5 acres in Washington Park. It is also an expression of harmony and peace and the realization of a dream to discover the ties that bind us. The spirit of collaboration and community that motivated the Garden’s design in 1963 now guides our plans for the Japan Institute. The Japan Institute will allow us to offer more shared experiences in Japanese culture, art, and connection to nature.
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  Japan InstituteJanuary 26, 2021
  A New Path for Portland Japanese Garden 2020 was a year that tested our individual and collective capacity for distressing news which is why we are so happy to start 2021 announcing a new path for Portland Japanese Garden.   We call it Japan Institute.  What is Japan Institute?  Japan Institute is being created in order to share and expand programs of Portland …