Day 128: Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu, Hawai’i
📌APIA Every Day (128) - The Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu, located within the Honolulu Memorial Park, showcase Japanese traditional-style architecture and garden design. Established in 1958 as a community service cemetery, the park saw significant development in 1964 when the Buddhist Federation of Honolulu endorsed the creation of monuments to honor Buddhist followers. Led by President Herbert M. Richards, the construction of the Sanju Pagoda and the Kinkaku-ji memorial was completed in July 1966.
The Sanju Pagoda, modeled after the Hokke-ji Temple in Nara, Japan, and the Kinkaku-ji, replicating Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion, are standout features of the gardens. The pagoda stands 80 feet tall, constructed from concrete and steel, while the Kinkaku-ji, a three-story structure, features a steel frame and plaster finish. Surrounding the Kinkaku-ji is the Mirror Lake Garden, designed in the Muromachi style, reflecting traditional Japanese garden aesthetics.
In 1966, the gardens were renamed Kyoto Gardens following the donation of a bronze bell by Mayor Yoshizo Takayama of Kyoto. The bell, inscribed with messages of world peace and friendship between Honolulu and Kyoto, underscored the cultural significance of the site. The Kyoto Gardens were listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
LEARN MORE:
Historic Hawai’i Foundation: Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu Memorial Park
Images of Old Hawai’i: Kyoto Gardens
Flickr: Images of Kyoto Gardens of Honolulu Memorial Park
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