This wonderful link came via the NAJGA (North American Japanese Garden Association) e-Newsletter.
The Seattle Japanese Garden as been awarded the 2020 Foreign Minister's Commendation from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This commendation is awarded “to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas.”
Read more: 2020 Foreign Minister's Commendation — Seattle Japanese Garden
The 4th in the Kaleidoscope Series will explore the art of ikebana flower arrangement with Ikebana International Seattle and instructor Phyllis Danielson, an instructor at the Ohara School founded in 1912.
A small group of dignitaries and garden supporters gathered outside the garden to officially present and plant the Ginkgo biloba seedling, a gift from Green Legacy Hiroshima with a message of Peace and Hope. Mayor Jenny Durkin, Consul General Hisao Inagaki and his wife, Parks Superintendent Jesús Aguirre and the Arboretum's Jane Stonecipher presented remarks and placed a shovel of dirt onto the tree roots. Our own Susan Ott Ralph told the story of the tree, grown from a seed of a tree that survived the 1945 atomic bomb in Hiroshima. Cara Izumi read a message from Green Legacy Hiroshima. After the ceremonies, Jeanne Peterson led the Consul General and his party on a tour of the garden. Marcia Takamura provided koto music.
To see photos and read more about the ceremony, go to the "Special Events" page of this blog. NOTE from 10/10/2020 - More Photos have been added to this page - enjoy!
To watch a video of the ceremony, click on this link from the Seattle Japanese Garden website:
www.seattlejapanesegarden.org/blog/2020/10/8/planting-a-hiroshima-peace-tree
Plan to go to the garden soon to see the new tree and also watch the colors of the garden turn to fall.
Kaleidoscope Series 03 - "Art of Sumi" with Midori Kono Thiel
The third in the Kaleidoscope series of free virtual events will introduce you to the art and basic techniques used in the traditional Japanese calligraphy and sumi-e.
Kaleidoscope Series 02 - "Maple Pruning" with Pete Putnicki
The second in the Kaleidoscope series of free virtual events will feature Pete Putnicki demonstrating the art of pruning Japanese Maples.
Kaleidoscope Series 01 - "The World of Butoh" with Joan Laage
The first in the Kaleidoscope series of free virtual events will feature the world of Butoh with Joan Laage of Kogut Butoh with special footage of dancers recently recorded in the garden.
As the 2020 full moon begins to fade, we remember Moon Viewing Festivals from years gone by, since alas it was not to be this year.
