Portland Japanese Garden

I have traveled on a month long trip to Japan, but little did I know that a piece of it was not too far from where I live now.  This summer I made the trip to visit the Japanese Garden and Culture Village in Portland, Oregon designed by world-renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.  A path of long forest trees leads visitors to the garden and cultural village that on top of the hill. The procession was reminiscent of the paths to common Japanese temples such as Kinkaku-ji (Golden Temple). This path was a symbol of connecting oneself to nature, a common Japanese principle. 

The architecture of the place was greatly reflective of the Japanese culture. 3 human-scaled buildings including the Village House, Garden House, and Tea House are arranged to form a shared courtyard space (Tateuchi courtyard) in the center of the village. The buildings were covered in wooden panels to create privacy and contained tapered roofs much like many Japanese temples and pagodas. A green roof was designed to create a relief as viewers looked to the natural surrounding forest. 

The walls of the buildings slide just like shoji screens in most Japanese homes to create an indoor-outdoor transition scheme that connects people to nature. The authenticity in the design of buildings with spaces that connect people to nature and the tranquility of the landscaped gardens is a great representation of Japanese craft and culture. If you cant visit Jpana but want to experience its culture, this garden and village must be on top of your list.  

All photos taken by me