In light of recent events in Japan, the Japanese Friendship Garden will hold a special presentation “The Japanese Spirit of Resilience and Dignity: Traditional Insights and the Japanese Garden” on Thursday, May 19th from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm.
The presentation will be led by Shin Ka’s Director, Donna Kobayashi and a panel of speakers from the local Japanese community.
For this evening, admission to the Japanese Friendship Garden in San Diego and its presentation is free to the public.
The panelists will share their perspectives on Japanese culture and insights on the resilience, dignity and hope of the Japanese people as they struggle with the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami disaster.
Kobayashi will tie their insights together and provide an understanding of how the Japanese Garden is a living example of the way the general public can experience the values of the Japanese understanding of order, resilience, and hope through nature.
The panelists include:
Dennis Otsuji (President of the Japanese Friendship Garden and Principal of ONA, INC.) will discuss his personal perspective on Japanese cultural values being a third generation Japanese American.
Hiroko Johnson (Board member of the Japanese Friendship Garden and Associate Professor of Art History at San Diego State University) will explain differences between Western and Japanese views on various matters.
Kazuyuki (Kaz) Abe (Former Imperial Guard raised in Miyagi Prefecture in Japan, and Gardener at the Japanese Friendship Garden) will give his personal insights relating to his understanding of nature and Japanese culture. He will also express his beliefs and hopes for the people in struggle in Tohoku, Japan, as a Miyagi native.
Donna Kobayashi (Director of Shin ka LLC) will talk about the Japanese traditional understanding of well-being, and demonstrate how the content and design of the Japanese Garden represents the values of the Japanese understanding of order, resilience, and hope.
The Japanese Friendship Garden is located in the heart of San Diego’s historic Balboa Park. Its mission is to provide a Japanese Garden dedicated to the well being of all people which offers educational programs that encourage understanding of the Japanese heritage among people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
(619) 232-2721
