Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre

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Cowra Japanese Garden in spring

The Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre is located in Cowra, in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia.[1] The five hectares (12 acres) garden was established to recognize and develop the relationship between the people of Cowra Shire and the people of Japan.

The garden was designed by Ken Nakajima (1914–2000) in the style of the Edo period as a kaiyū-shiki or strolling garden.[2] The rocky hillside, manicured hedges, waterfalls and streams, and two lakes provide a serene environment for a variety of ducks. Special features of the garden include a Bonshō (bell), a traditional Edo cottage, an authentic open air tea house and a Bonsai house.

An annual Sakura Matsuri (cherry blossom festival) is held in the gardens during September and celebrates the birth of spring.

The garden hosts Girl's Day and Boy's Day festivals, tea ceremonies, demonstrations and workshops on Japanese crafts including calligraphy, origami and Ikebana, and garden talks.

History

In 1960 the Japanese Government decided to bring all their war dead from other parts of Australia to be re-buried at Cowra, which already featured a cemetery for the remains of 231 Japanese soldiers killed during the 1944 Cowra breakout from the nearby prisoner of war camp. The Japanese War Cemetery was tended to after World War II by members of the Cowra Returned and Services League of Australia and ceded to Japan in 1963.

In 1971 the Cowra Tourism Development decided to celebrate this link to Japan, and proposed a Japanese garden for the town. The Japanese government agreed to support this development as a sign of thanks for the respectful treatment of their war dead; the development also received money from the Australian government and private entities.[3]

The Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre opened in 1979, and the second stage opened in 1986.[4]

References

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External links

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