Day 118: Hakone Historic District, Saratoga, CAlifornia
📌APIA Every Day (118) - The Hakone Historic District, located near Saratoga in the San Francisco Bay area, was established in 1915 by Oliver and Isabel Stine, inspired by Japanese exhibits at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. After Isabel Stine’s 1916 visit to Japan, the Stines enlisted Japanese architect Tsunematsu Shintani and landscape architect Naoharu Aihara to design the estate using traditional Japanese materials and craftsmanship. The resulting villa and gardens reflected the traditional shoin-zukuri and sukiya-zukuri architectural styles, integrating natural beauty with architectural elegance.
The Stines used Hakone extensively for cultural events, including Kabuki performances and the West Coast premiere of Puccini’s "Madame Butterfly" in 1923. In 1932, the estate was sold to Major Charles Lee Tilden, who, with the help of Japanese-trained gardener James Sasaki, further enhanced the gardens by adding structures like the mon gate and moon bridge. Ownership passed within Tilden's family until 1961, when a group of Saratoga residents bought it, maintaining it as a private retreat until the City of Saratoga purchased Hakone in 1966 to prevent its subdivision.
In the following years, Kyoto-trained gardener Tanso Ishihara and architect Kiyoshi Yasui worked on restoring and expanding the gardens. Since 2000, the Hakone Foundation has managed the site, ensuring the preservation of its historic gardens, including the Hill and Pond Garden, Zen Garden, Tea Garden, and the Bamboo Garden added in 1987. The Hakone Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013 and was recommended as a potential National Historic Landmark in the NPS AAPI National Historic Landmark Theme Study.
LEARN MORE:
National Park Service: Hakone Historic District
NPS Gallery: Hakone Historic District National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
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