Invitation to probably
the most memorable travel
to Japan, 2017
You are invited to join a select group of people to participate in assisting to build a memorial Japanese Garden to commemorate victims of the tsunami/earthquake of March 11, 2011 in Tohoku, Japan and the recovery from it. The garden building project is organized by Garden Society of Japan as a 5 year program. You will receive training from traditional Japanese gardeners who will supervise the building and will be befriended with young Japanese gardeners from all around Japan as well.
After garden building, we could visit coastal regions of Tohoku, rich with gardens, temples , natural beauties and coastal cities undergoing recovery as an optional tour for five days. The base program will start from Seattle on October 9 through 17 ending in Tokyo.
Supported by Seattle Japanese Garden Society, the Garden Society of Japan (Tokyo,) and assisted by North American Japanese Garden Association. ( confirmation is pending at this time).
There are many of you who have benefited over time from being associated with Japan or apprenticed and studied in Japan, yet some of you, including myself, who do not know how to assist Tohoku, Japan for their recovery from disasters of March 11, 9011, in some meaningful and constructive way.
There is a unique opportunity to assist in building a Japanese Garden near Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. This garden, when completed, will be a memorial and prayer for victims of disaster and commemorate their efforts in recovery and future development.
Designing and building of this garden is organized by Sendai Chapter of the Japanese Garden Society. It is being built on a five year program with a completion date set at 2019 to coincide with the society’s 100 year anniversary.
This is an excellent opportunity for those thinking and pondering how best to participate in recovery in Tohoku but mutually beneficial.
You could attempt to do that in signing up for a work study and volunteer program being developed by Koichi Kobayashi with an assistance from Garden Society of Japan and NAJGA.
With this program, participants will engage in assisting building a commemorative Japanese garden under Japanese expert’s supervision, communicating with other participants coming from various parts of Japan as well as local citizens.
The program covers all costs except airfare for land transportation lodging, meals and fees. Cost will be around $2,500 for five participants..
You can extend your tour visiting other places in Japan as an option.
If you are interested in joining, please send me your name, address, email, work place, profession etc. to Koichi Kobayashi.
Space is limited to five. Please send in a non refundable deposit of $1,000 by June 30 and final payment by August 31.
Koichi Kobayashi
Ph. 206- 2869644
May 5, 2017
Preliminary Itinerary:
Day 1: Departure from Seattle. Departure date is October 9, 2016.
Day 2: Arrival in Tokyo
Day 3: Transfer to Sendai and Introduction to Garden Building (October 11, 2016)
Day 4: Garden Building
Day 5: Garden Building (Local tour)
Day 6: Garden Building
Day 7: Garden Building and Farewell Party
Day 8: Transfer to Tokyo and Free time
Day 9: Leave for Seattle from Tokyo (October 17)
Leave for an optional tour to be arranged upon request with a minimum
of five participants.
Moments of Ma 