Portland’s Japanese Garden Opens Expansion

Widely considered the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan, the Portland Japanese Garden recently celebrated the opening of its new expansion.

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The Oregon garden opened its new section April 2, after a $33.5 million construction project that involved a new entrance and the addition of a Cultural Village section. The project added 3.4 acres to the 9.1-acre property and provides more art exhibitions and performance space.

The dramatic entrance to the garden now involves layers of cascading pools. The Cultural Village is visible through a forested, rock-strewn pathway.

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The Cultural Village was designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. The village’s three buildings include the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center, the Garden House and the Umami Café. Each building is designed to integrate seamlessly with the surrounding greenery.

Kuma, who designed the National Stadium for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, wanted to meld Portland’s natural scenery with traditional Japanese design. The expansion reclaimed parts of surrounding Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country. The garden prides itself on its serenity, despite receiving 350,000 guests annually.