THE STORY OF ’S KUBOTA GARDEN

The Kubota Garden Foundation (KGF) is Kubota Garden, one of the loveliest places Working together since 1987, the City, Kubota Garden a non-profit 501(c3) organization formed in Seattle, is a public, 20-acre Japanese Foundation, local community, and volunteers planned and in 1989 to continue a partnership with the garden. The garden is owned by the City implemented projects over 30 years to maintain and improve City and assure the preservation of the of Seattle and managed by Seattle Parks the garden for the enjoyment of visitors. The garden is entire 20-acre garden as envisioned by the kubota garden and Recreation. It is open every day during sustained within the spirit and vision of Fujitaro Kubota and Kubota family. With the support of staff, daylight hours and is free of charge. his son Tom Kubota. KGF volunteers implement many programs and projects: SELF GUIDED TOUR Its unique history, design, pruned pines, use of stone, waterfalls, conduct tours, greet visitors, help with garden maintenance, ponds, wonderful collection of mature plants, and sense of GARDEN ETIQUETTE and organize publicity and capital projects to build special exploration combine to create a beautiful and serene place. Please enjoy the garden and help us keep it beautiful. garden features such as the Terrace Overlook. Working with It will lift your spirit and delight your eyes. A popular place 1. Walk on gravel paths or lawns, not in mulched partner organizations, volunteers implement free cultural and for people from many cultures to walk, relax, gather for planted areas. educational events. celebrations, picnic and take photos year-around, the garden 2. Trees, stones, and stone walls are not for climbing. is particularly colorful in April and May with spring flowers, Please consider supporting the garden with a donation. 3. Keep out of the ponds. and in October with fall color. Eighteen acres of natural area A donation box is located next to the kiosk. You may mail a 4. Pets on leash are welcome. Pick up waste. donation to KGF or donate online. Donations provide you surround the garden, providing a visual buffer and protecting 5. Place trash in receptacles located in parking lot. with a Foundation membership for 1 year. Membership Mapes Creek. 6. Drones are not allowed. benefits include seasonal newsletters, plant sale discounts, The City of Seattle designated the 4.5-acre core garden as a special events, and the annual members’ meeting. historical landmark in 1981, and in 1987 the City purchased the 7. Amplified music only allowed at permitted events. garden from the Kubota family. KUBOTA GARDEN FOUNDATION www.kubotagarden.org 10915 51st Ave S | Seattle, WA 98178-2160 [email protected] or 206.725.5060 Fujitaro Kubota Kubota family is held The Seattle Landmarks born in Kochi at Camp Minidoka as Preservation Board Prefecture, Shikoku designates the 4.5 acre TOURS part of the mass The Terrace Island, Japan. The Japanese incarceration of Fujitaro completes core Garden as Historical Public Tours are held year-round on the fourth Saturday of Tom Kubota dies Overlook Garden and people of Japanese the Mountainside. Landmark. the month at 10AM. No reservation required just meet the at the age of 87. structure is built. the Necklace of descent during Memorial stone volunteer tour guide at the entry plaza. Ponds are built. World War II. is placed. If you would like a private guided tour of the Garden for The Kubota Garden a party of 8 or more, email [email protected] for Tak Kubota works Fujitaro Foundation is The Stone Maple Garden is Woods is the online tour request form or leave a voicemail at The Kubota as a civilian Kubota dies incorporated as a non- Gardening Company instructor in Army at the age profit organization. installed finished (206) 725-5060. Please allow at least three weeks prior to the is established. Intelligence schools. of 94 years. date you want to schedule your tour to request a tour guide. Terrace is There is no charge; however, donations are readily accepted. developed. VOLUNTEERING Kubota Garden Foundation offers many different opportuni- ties for volunteers both at the Garden and remote support 1879 1907 1923 1927 1930s 1936 1942-1945 1946 1962 1972 1973 1974 1981 1987 1989 1994 1999 2004 2013 2014 2015 2016 work. Regardless of your area of interest, or ability, there is almost certainly something to be done. Certain positions may require orientation and training. For full position descriptions and signup instructions, visit Fujitaro The Heart The Kubota Family The City of Seattle The ishigaki (stone wall) is built www.kubotagarden.org/volunteering/ emigrates to the Bridge is built. purchases the purchases the by a workshop of masons led United States of final parcel of land Garden from by Suminori and Junji Awata, SCHEDULING EVENTS AND PERMITS America. making the Garden the Kubota Family. 14th and 15th generation stones You may schedule weddings or other events at the garden. a total of 20 acres. masons from Japan. Events, commercial photography and filming require permits. Contact the Seattle Parks & Recreation at 206-684-4081 Fujitaro acquires Tom Kubota is The Japanese The Moon Bridge is The Tom Kubota Stroll Garden the first five acres drafted into the US Government awards built by Tak and Tom is built. This was a collaboration KUBOTA GARDEN is located at: 9817 - 55th Ave. S. of Kubota Garden. military and serves the Fifth Class Order as a memorial to their between Tom Kubota, Seattle in the Rainier Beach neighborhood of SE Seattle. in the Pacific. of the Sacred Treasure father, Fujitaro. Parks and Recreation, and KGF. 3/2019 to Fujitaro Kubota. KUBOTA GARDEN FEATURES Heart 1. Kiosk – displays monthly plant feature, animal feature, Bridge 14 Kasuga haiku and updates. N Lantern at Japanese 2. Entry Plaza – built during the 2004 International TOM KUBOTA Garden Symposium of Japanese Gardens. STROLL 3. Entry Gate and Ornamental Wall – bronze gate sculpted 13 GARDEN by local artist Gerard Tsutakawa. The gate and wall cre- RENTON AVE S. ate a special experience: crossing the threshold from the NECKLACE OF PONDS everyday world to a sacred space. 15 4. Bell and Drinking Fountain – ring the bell with your 12 knuckle to let the spirits know you are in the garden. 17 Refresh with a sip of water from the drinking fountain designed and built by Gerard Tsutakawa. MOUNTAINSIDE 5. Window Overlook – a visitor’s first look into the 16 JAPANESE 11 historical garden. Waterfall at 18 19 GARDEN Mountainside 6. Terrace – open lawns and late summer blooming plants which provide a great venue for permitted events

7. Terrace Overlook – pavilion atop ishigaki (stone) wall 16. Mountainside WALL – built by the Kubota family to celebrate the Moon ORNAMENTAL built by stone masons led by famed Japanese masons 10 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, offers the visitor a miniature Bridge Suminori and Junji Awata. walk into the mountains. The waterfalls are formed with 8. Spring Pond – fed by several underground springs. stones from North Bend. 4 The Kubota family used it to water 6 acres of nursery 17. Memorial Stone – placed in 1962; the back of the stone 5 3 stock. Look for koi and turtles. 1 has a brief biography of Fujitaro in Japanese. See below for Terrace 2 9. Mapes Creek – runs through the natural area and feeds full text of the English translation. Overlook ENTRY the Necklace of Ponds. 18. Lookout – offers a wooden umbrella, bench, and a PLAZA 10. Stone Garden – the gate is from the Seattle Japanese grand view of the garden 65 feet below. PARKING Garden in the Park Arboretum. Originally 19. Moon Bridge – symbolizes the difficulty of living a good P the stones were installed by Kubota Landscaping life: “Hard to walk up and hard to walk down.” Fossil stone, 8 Company in the 1960s or 70s in a nearby residential across the pond, is 40 million years old (when horsetail garden. The stones were rescued and repurposed in 2012. was 60 feet tall), and was discovered in Issaquah. 11. Maple Woods – A cluster of beautiful Japanese maples with a colorful fall spectacle. KEY

MEMORIAL STONE ENGLISH TRANSLATION 55TH AVE S. 12. – built in the 1930s, the most traditional “Fujitaro Kubota was born in 1879, in Kochi Prefecture Tree Canopy 7 part of the garden, it features a spring-fed pond, Kasuga on the island of Shikoku, Japan. He immigrated to lantern from Japan, and stones. America in 1907 and established his home. In 1927 Lawn Areas TERRACE OVERLOOK MAINTENANCE 13. Tom Kubota Stroll Garden – features long views, many he acquired this land in order to make a large garden. AREA places to sit, and stone from the high Cascades. It was With his own hands he cleared the land, dug several Primary Routes designed by Tom Kubota, Fujitaro’s son, a strong advocate ponds and cut the trees to build the garden. Mr. Kubota Secondary Routes for creating a public garden. studied landscaping, suffered hard work and put 6 great effort into this project. The garden was finally Service Roads 9 14. Fera Fera Forest – a tranquil refuge, originally a nursery completed in 1962 and in that year this memorial stone KUBOTA SERVICE planting of threadleaf cypress. Easier Paths TERRACE was erected. It was the eighty-third year of Fujitaro (0-5% grade) ROAD 15. Heart Bridge – crosses Mapes Creek and resembles a red Kubota.” Text written by Rev. Fumio Matsui – Challenging Path bridge in a garden on Mr. Kubota’s home island, Stone carved by Mr. Okada of Japan (5-10% grade) Shikoku, Japan. This self-guided tour provided courtesy of the Kubota Garden Foundation.