I arrived in Tokyo last week and have taken some time to get settled into my very small apartment in the Nagata-cho area of Tokyo.  On Monday I hosted a dinner for 18 Portland Japanese Garden Members traveling on a garden tour with Azumano travel.  We had a great evening.

Following a year-long international search, the Portland Japanese Garden is pleased to announce the appointment of Sadafumi (Sada) Uchiyama as Garden Curator, a newly created position which will oversee the long-range artistic vision of the physical garden as well as oversee and facilitate all elements of design and maintenance.

Sadafumi Uchiyama is a third-generation Japanese gardener who has been practicing landscape architecture in Portland, Oregon. His family has been involved in gardening since 1909 in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. At the age of 21 he was the youngest person in the Southern region of Japan to receive the licensure of First Grade Japanese Garden Craftsmanship issued by the Ministry of Labor and Construction in Japan. Sada received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in landscape architecture from the University of Illinois, graduating with honors.

Traditional apprenticeship in Japanese gardening combined with the formal training in Western landscape architecture has allowed Sada to design and build a unique and wide range of landscape projects. Two of his representative projects include the renovation of Osaka Garden at Jackson Park in Chicago and the renovation of Shofu-en Garden at Denver Botanic Gardens.

No stranger to the Portland Japanese Garden, he served as a Vice President on the Board of Directors of the Japanese Garden Society. He also served as a secretary of the International Association of Japanese Gardens and most recently was invited to speak at the 5th International Symposium on Japanese Gardens in Tokyo.

Welcome Sada!

Get details and apply at www.japanesegarden.com/volunteer

Do you enjoy bringing your out-of-town guests to the Portland Japanese Garden? Have you found yourself enjoying a public tour? Do you love meeting new people? Whether you have been a member for years or have just joined the Garden community, you are invited to become one of our Garden Guides and share your love of the Garden with visitors from around the world.

Guides must be enthusiastic, cheerful, and willing to learn. You should enjoy interacting with people and be comfortable speaking before groups. Guides are responsible for conducting a minimum of ten tours during the calendar year, and we encourage all our Guides to consider additional participation in Garden events and activities.

We highly recommend that members interested in the Guide Training take at least two guided Garden tours before applying for the training. That way, you’ll gain a better understanding of how our tours are conducted and whether this volunteer work is for you. Garden Guide Training starts January 13, 2008. Guide training runs for nine consecutive weeks and includes one-on-one training with an experienced Guide mentor.

Those interested in becoming Garden Guides are invited to apply through our web site at www.japanesegarden.com/volunteer or to contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Stephanie Moss, at (503) 223-9233.

September is one of the loveliest months in the Garden, bringing one of the Garden Gift Store’s favorite festivals, Otsukimi, or Moonviewing. Look for us all three evenings, September 14, 15, & 16, as we will have a special Moonviewing table in the Pavilion complete with Tsuen teas, books, music CDs, and more. This year’s event features a poetry reading by Peter Kendall and koto music by Mitsuki Dazai. We will have all three of Peter’s Japanese Garden haiku books available and Mitsuki’s beautiful Autumn CD.

The Garden Gift Store will be open late during Moonviewing, so please stop by and see the latest shipment of the symbolic Moonviewing rabbit on plates, bowls, and chopsticks. More music of the season will be available along with our latest books, calendars, and stationery.

New Books

We are now carrying the book 1001 Gardens You Must See Before You Die by Rae Spencer-Jones. This lovely book—complete with over 800 breathtaking photos and illustrations—highlights our own beautiful garden.

Our own Human Nature book is finally back in stock. This will be the last printing of this edition and if you don’t have your own copy yet or need the perfect gift for a garden enthusiast, please stop by. We’ll be glad to help you.

Tsuen Tea

As the weather changes and we transition to fall, nothing warms like a cup of tea. We are proud to carry Japan’s oldest tea, Tsuen tea. The Tsuen family has been providing the highest quality tea in Uji, Japan since 1160 CE. Whether you prefer the earthiness of Genmaicha or the special Organic Matcha, you’ll understand why Tsuen tea is the official tea of the Portland Japanese Garden. We also carry many tea accessories including tea pots, cups, whisks, and caddies.

Exclusively Ours

We know that when it comes to shopping you have lots of options, but where else are you going to find hats, t-shirts, umbrellas, and stainless steel water bottles all with the Portland Japanese Garden logo? Our 2009 calendars are also available along with our new accordion postcard books.

Jonathan Ley

Don’t forget the Garden’s new logo-wear when shopping for back-to-school clothes this year. Our all-cotton t-shirts are sized for pre-schoolers to college kids and everybody in between. Keep dry and warm while promoting your favorite Garden with our umbrellas, hooded sweatshirts, and adjustable hats.

Dear Friends,

I am very pleased to announce that I have received an International Affairs Fellowship awarded by the Council on Foreign Relations and sponsored by Hitachi, Ltd. This is an exciting opportunity for the Portland Japanese Garden as well as for me personally.

This Fellowship will afford me the opportunity to conduct research in Japan in the area of cultural diplomacy, focusing on grassroots foreign relations through international cultural and artistic exchange—especially as it pertains to Sister City and Friendship Japanese Gardens.

The Portland Japanese Garden Board of Directors has approved a six-month sabbatical, allowing me to fulfill this fellowship and return to my position at the Garden upon completion of the appointment. During the fellowship period I will be in regular contact with the staff at the Garden to ensure the success of ongoing operations. Additionally, Cheryl Ching, our Director of Operations and a 25-year veteran of the Garden staff, will be appointed as Deputy Director to manage day-to-day activities. I have the fullest confidence in her abilities and judgment as well as in the entire staff.

I will begin residency in Japan in November 2008 and return the first of May 2009, and I look forward to keeping you updated about my experiences through emails and the Garden Clippings web blog. Please feel free to give me a call if you have any questions and as always, thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Stephen D. Bloom
Executive Director

Ed Geis

Special thanks to:

Sponsors

Oregon Decorative Rock

Al’s Garden Center of Sherwood

Donors

Sunday, May 11 is Mother’s Day and the Garden is a great place to celebrate. We have beautiful scarves, jewelry, bath essentials, incense, tea sets, and more to honor Mom. Please visit us on the east deck of the Pavilion on Mother’s Day from 11am-4pm to pick up the special gifts we’ve selected just for the occasion.