Portland Japanese Garden

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Jonathan Ley

Kiku Matsuri, the Chrysanthemum Viewing Festival

"If you would be happy for a lifetime, grow chrysanthemums."

October 9-17, 2010

Garden Hours

Included with Garden admission

White mums, yellow mums
and even the moon
Autumn ending
Shiki

There is a gentle sadness that drifts across the gardens and lingers over rice fields in the autumn breeze in Japan. There comes that brief moment of awareness in the garden every fall—summer is gone and the approach of winter is inevitable—made all the more poignant with the knowledge of how quickly life fades away. Each passing season is celebrated for the special beauty it holds in Japan. Autumn brings with it one last brilliant moment of color to share with the earth—the flamboyant red of the maples and the gold, rust, lavender, and white hues of the chrysanthemum, the flower that symbolizes an entire nation.

Kiku Matsuri, the Chrysanthemum Festival, comes again this year to the East Veranda of the Garden Pavilion, where diagonal rows of the giant incurve mums are arrayed in traditional fashion in celebration of this flower-viewing festival. It is the fifth of the five seasonal Go-Sekku festivals in the traditional Japanese calendar.

The chrysanthemum is the official flower of Japan. It has been cultivated there since the 8th century when it was introduced from China. The imperial family crest bears the symbol of the 16-petaled chrysanthemum, which has long been a symbol of longevity, dignity, and nobility.

Kiku Matsuri in Japanese Tradition

Kiku Matsuri, the Chrysanthemum Festival, is the fifth of the five annual Go-Sekku Festivals in the traditional Japanese calendar. The chrysanthemum is the official flower of Japan and has been cultivated there since the 8th century. The 16-petaled chrysanthemum is represented on the imperial family crest and is a symbol of longevity, dignity, and nobility. The Garden observes this festival with a display of mums on the East Veranda of the Pavilion arrayed in the traditional style associated with this popular flower-viewing festival.