Photo credit: Aurora Santiago

This year the Seattle Japanese Garden is participating in the North American Japanese Garden Association’s Gardens for Peace event!

Gardens for Peace is an annual event meant to bring communities together in Japanese gardens, both public and private, to promote peace. A peace pattern is raked into dry gardens to promote peace and involve the community. This peace pattern was designed by Hiroshima-based artist, Toshiko Tanaka, a peace activist and A-bomb survivor. Her pattern represents "heiwa", or peace in Japanese.

Since the Seattle Japanese Garden doesn’t have a karesansui (dry garden) we have been inspired by the centerpiece of our own garden, our pond! Full of plump koi fish and water lilies, the tranquil surface of our pond reflects the sky and reminds us of the beauty of the world.

Visit the garden from 11am to 1pm on August 13th to draw a peace pattern with water onto special water-writing calligraphy scrolls. You can also fold an origami peace crane inspired by Sadako and the Thousand Peace Cranes in the Tateuchi Community Room.

A statue of Sadako Sasaki at Peace Park in Seattle (Photo: TIA International Photography)

11:00AM to 1:00 PM:

Origami Crane Folding in the Tateuchi Community Room

Water Calligraphy at the North Harbor inside the Garden