Families and friends are welcome to participate in a hands-on experience with Kakizome, the traditional custom of writing of the first calligraphy characters of the New Year. Children in Japan are encouraged to write a few characters with brush and ink in the very best style they can for good luck with their studies over the coming year. Beautiful calligraphy is as highly appreciated as painting in Japan. Guided by Master Calligrapher Sekko Daigo and Japanese teachers from Richmond Elementary School, participants need no experience writing in Japanese to enjoy this traditional New Year’s practice.

According to the Eastern zodiac, 2009 is the “Year of the Ox,” and those who visit will want to try their hand at making a nengajo New Year’s greeting card with a picture of an ox. People born in the Year of the Ox (1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009) are likely to be sturdy, earthy, no-nonsense. They can be neat, tidy, quiet and studious, with a great love of home. Music may be a great love. Family life and a loving partner are high on the Ox’s priorities—to be a wonderful loyal friend. Affectionate and easy-going, the Ox can also have a fierce temper when agitated.

“In Japan, O-Shogatsu sets the tone for the year to come and has always been a joyous annual celebration of hope and prayer for good health and happiness in the coming year,” notes Diane Durston, the Garden’s Curator of Culture, Art, & Education. The Garden’s New Year’s celebration runs from Noon-3pm on Sunday, January 11 and is free with Garden admission. To learn more about O-Shogatsu, visit www.japanesegarden.com/events.

The Portland Japanese Garden has been proclaimed by his Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, former Ambassador of Japan, to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” The Garden is above Washington Park at 611 SW Kingston Drive in SW Portland, Oregon. The Garden is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Hours are 10am-4pm October 1–March 31, and 10am-7pm April 1–September 30.

Bonsai (pronounced “bone-sigh”) is a Japanese word that translates literally as “a planting in a shallow container.” In modern usage, the term refers specifically to a dwarfed, artistically shaped tree in a container.

Because a bonsai continues to grow, it is never “finished” as an art piece. The artist’s work—and the bonsai’s evolution—can continue for decades, making these spectacular plants, in essence, living sculptures.

Members of the Bonsai Society of Portland will be on hand to offer informal demonstrations, give exhibition tours in the Pavilion, and answer questions. The event is free with Garden admission.

The Portland Japanese Garden has been proclaimed by his Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, former Ambassador of Japan, to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” The Garden is above Washington Park at 611 SW Kingston Drive in SW Portland, Oregon. The Garden is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Hours are 10am-4pm October 1–March 31, and 10am-7pm April 1–September 30.

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 Japanese Garden Craftsmanship issued by the Ministry of Labor and Construction in Japan. He 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 Uchiyama 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, Uchiyama 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.

The Portland Japanese Garden has been proclaimed by his Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, former Ambassador of Japan, to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” The Garden is above Washington Park at 611 SW Kingston Drive in SW Portland, Oregon. The Garden is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Hours are 10am-4pm October 1–March 31, and 10am-7pm April 1–September 30.

“PGE Foundation is so pleased to support this event once again at the Portland Japanese Garden,”commented PGE Foundation Chair Gwyneth Gamble Booth.”We are glad to make the Garden accessible to the community and to encourage donations to the Oregon Food Bank, which provides critical support to those in our community who are hungry.”

All members of the community are invited to come and visit the Garden on this Free Admission Day and visitors are encouraged to bring non-perishable items for the Oregon Food Bank including canned meats, canned and boxed meals, peanut butter, canned or dried beans and peas, pasta, rice, and cereal, canned fruits, and 100% fruit juice (canned, plastic, or boxed).

“Last year we collected over 1400 pounds of food for the Oregon Food Bank,”stated Steve Bloom, the Garden’s Executive Director.”This year we hope to top that number. The PGE Foundation has generously agreed to sponsor this event in order to help us make the Garden accessible to everyone on this special day.”

The Portland Japanese Garden has been proclaimed by his Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, former Ambassador of Japan, to be”the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.”The Garden is above Washington Park at 611 SW Kingston Drive in SW Portland, Oregon. The Garden is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Hours are 10am-4pm October 1–March 31, and 10am-7pm April 1–September 30.

Mr. Yonezawa is one of ten bamboo artists in Japan to receive the prestigious Lloyd Cotsen award in 2006. His work was among that of artists featured in the 2007 exhibition of the Cotsen Bamboo Basket Collection at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. According to the artist, “These baskets represent a search for the beauty and precision in nature and a way to balance the chaos evident in our times. Using traditional Japanese bamboo basketry techniques in combination with local materials, these pieces reflect the traditions of Japan and the unrestrained style of this country.” The exhibition is the fourth in the annual Art in the Garden series and is free with Garden admission.

On Sunday, November 16 from 2-3pm, Nancy Moore Bess, author of Bamboo in Japan, will lecture on Bamboo in Japan. Providing a context for understanding the long traditions of bamboo weaving in Japan, Ms. Bess is not only an internationally recognized authority on bamboo craftsmanship but also a celebrated bamboo artist in her own right. She speaks with a deep understanding of the special qualities of bamboo as an artist’s material, as well as of the important role of bamboo in the cultures of Japan and other parts of Asia. She currently resides in New York City. Tickets for the lecture are $15 for members and $20 for non-members and reservations are required online at www.japanesegarden.com/events or call (503) 542-0280.

The Portland Japanese Garden has been proclaimed by his Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, former Ambassador of Japan, to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” The Garden is above Washington Park at 611 SW Kingston Drive in SW Portland, Oregon. The Garden is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Hours are 10am-4pm October 1–March 31, and 10am-7pm April 1–September 30.

Each year, the Portland Japanese Garden celebrates Kiku Matsuri with a two-day Ikebana International Chrysanthemum Exhibition of flower arrangements to be held this year on the weekend of October 25–26. This year, the Garden is pleased to announce the addition of a special horticultural display of chrysanthemums on view outdoors on the East Veranda of the Garden Pavilion from October 18–November 2. Both events are free with regular Garden admission.

“In Japan, Kiku Matsuri is traditionally celebrated with elaborate displays of chrysanthemums on the grounds of the Imperial Palace, as well as in temple courtyards, botanical gardens, and public spaces throughout the country every autumn. This year, we are delighted to be expanding our own Chrysanthemum Festival,” said Diane Durston, Curator of Culture, Art, & Education at the Garden, “and we are very pleased to collaborate with Rich Kibbons of the Portland Chrysanthemum Society to make this happen.”

The Portland Japanese Garden has been proclaimed by his Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, former Ambassador of Japan, to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” The Garden is above Washington Park at 611 SW Kingston Drive in SW Portland, Oregon. The Garden is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Hours are 10am-4pm October 1–March 31, and 10am-7pm April 1–September 30.

In Japan, the moon disappearing behind the clouds is a metaphor for the fleeting beauty of life. Depicted in poetry and painted in gold on lacquered trays, the autumn moon has captured the imagination of the Japanese for over a thousand years—a symbol of this most melancholy of seasons when summer days fade into fall.

There is no better place in Portland to share the romance and mystery of the full moon in mid-September than the Portland Japanese Garden. This year, the Garden celebrates Moonviewing on September 14, 15, and 16 from 6-8:30pm with music, poetry, haiku, and light Japanese refreshments and delicacies. Watch the moon rise over downtown Portland and experience a lantern-lit walk through the Garden. Enjoy the gentle sounds of koto and flute, write a few lines of poetry, and toast the rising moon with sake in the warm company of friends in the Garden. Tickets are $25 for members/$35 for non-members and reservations are required. Reserve online at www.japanesegarden.com/events/moonviewing or call (503) 542-0280.

The Portland Japanese Garden has been proclaimed by his Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, former Ambassador to Japan, to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” The Garden is above Washington Park at 611 SW Kingston Drive in SW Portland, Oregon. The Garden is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Hours are 10am-4pm October 1-March 31, and 10am-7pm April 1-September 30.

“Free Admission Days are now a regular part of our event offerings as we continue our efforts to open the Garden to the community,” Steve Bloom, the Garden’s Executive Director. “We are excited to share the Garden with visitors as summer begins to turn to fall, and we are fortunate to have the generous support of the PGE Foundation.”

“PGE Foundation is so pleased to support this event at the Portland Japanese Garden, and we are proud to be the underwriters for two additional Free Admission Days that will be scheduled during the upcoming months” commented PGE Foundation Chair Gwyneth Gamble Booth. The PGE Foundation is the corporate foundation of Portland General Electric.

During Free Admission Day, the Garden’s Behind the Shoji Art Show & Sale will be taking place in the Pavilion. Admission to this show of spectacular pottery, jewelry, fabric arts, photography, and more is also free of charge.

The Portland Japanese Garden has been proclaimed by his Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, former Ambassador of Japan, to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” The Garden is above Washington Park at 611 SW Kingston Drive in SW Portland, Oregon. The Garden is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Hours are 10am-4pm October 1–March 31, and 10am-7pm April 1–September 30.

This spectacular annual art exhibition and sale features Asian-inspired original artwork and unique gifts—all within the setting of the beautiful Pavilion at the Portland Japanese Garden. The exhibition this year features exquisite pottery, photography, glass, jewelry, textile art, forged metal art, sumi-e paintings, stationery, and more.

“This year’s artists are some of the best we have ever showcased,” said Paula Wheeler, the Garden’s Gift Store Manager and Buyer. “We’ve also added some very interesting new art, including forged metal, tonkin metal art, and antique Japanese furniture.

Live demonstrations will take place on weekends throughout the show’s run as well. This popular gathering of art at one of the city’s most beautiful locations runs July 26–September 2 and is free with Garden admission. Hours are 10am-7pm Tuesday–Sunday and Noon-7pm Mondays.

The Portland Japanese Garden has been proclaimed by his Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, former Ambassador of Japan, to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” The Garden is above Washington Park at 611 SW Kingston Drive in SW Portland, Oregon. The Garden is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.

“The [CFR-Hitachi Fellowship] was established to contribute to American understanding of Japan and to improved communication among emerging leaders in the two countries,” said Carl J. Green, Senior Representative for Hitachi, Ltd. in Washington, DC and member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Green, who assists the Council with the administration of the fellowship program, also observed: “fellows have been selected over the past dozen years from many different fields of activity, but Steve Bloom, with his experience and focus on gardens and cultural diplomacy, stands out as unusual. Based on Steve’s personal qualities and experience, we have high expectations for what he can accomplish in this interesting area of U.S.-Japan interaction.”

Bloom’s project, entitled Grass Roots Foreign Relations: Advancing Foreign Relations with Japan through Sister City and Friendship Japanese Gardens, and the Diplomatic, Cultural, and Artistic Exchange That Flows Through Them, will focus on strengthening ties between the US and Japan through Cultural Diplomacy. The project will include conducting research and establishing networks across the Pacific to enable the better care and maintenance of the more than 200 Public Japanese Gardens in North America, and to increase access to as well as the quality of cultural and artistic programming and exchange within the garden venues, so that the people of Japan and the United States gain a better understanding of each other. Bloom will spend November 2008–May 2009 in Japan, at which time he will return to his position at the Garden.

The Nomination for the fellowship came from the office of Portland Mayor Tom Potter, with recommendations from Ambassador (Ret.) Charles Swindells, the Honorable Mazie K. Hirono, Congresswoman, Hawaii Second District, and Minster Mitsuru Kitano of the Embassy of Japan in Washington, DC. “I am so pleased the Council on Foreign Relations selected Stephen for the International Affairs Fellowship in Japan,” commented Tom Potter, Mayor of Portland, Oregon. “It is an honor that a representative from our community will have the chance to participate in this prestigious program. I look forward to hearing about Steve’s experience, and seeing how he brings it back to Portland.”

Bloom has served as Executive Director of the Portland Japanese Garden for the past three years. Moving the Portland Japanese Garden into a leadership role within the local community, while giving the Garden a much greater national and international presence has been a keystone of Steve’s tenure at the Garden. During this time, the Garden has expanded its services, cultural outreach, education program, and art and exhibition offerings. Prior to his position at the Garden, Bloom was the President of the Honolulu Symphony.

The Portland Japanese Garden has been proclaimed by his Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, former Ambassador of Japan, to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” The Garden is above Washington Park at 611 SW Kingston Drive in SW Portland, Oregon. The Garden is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.