Osaka Garden, Jackson Park, Chicago, IL
In 1893, Japan presented Chicago with the beautiful Ho-o-den (Phoenix Pavillion) for the World’s Fair. In 1936, the Chicago Park District established an extraordinary Japanese garden to complement the Ho-o-den and a new tea-house. In 1993, this garden in Jackson Park was named "Osaka Garden" to honor the Chicago-Osaka sister city relationship. Today, visitors continue to enjoy the peaceful lagoons, wildlife, lush trees and verdant plants throughout the year. Be sure to visit the
Osaka Garden page in the Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference web site.
We have received inquiries in the past about using the Osaka Garden for events such as weddings. Osaka Garden belongs to the Chicago Park District and according to City of Chicago regulations, Osaka Garden cannot be reserved for private events as its purpose is to be open to the public at all times.
Osaka Garden Festival in Osaka Garden, Chicago, IL
The City of Chicago's Osaka Committee has hosted this annual event for several years with the most recent neighborhood festival in 2003 for the 30th anniversary. Please click the link to see the brochure from the 2003 Osaka Garden Festival. Although interest remains in continuing this tradition, volunteers that form the Osaka Committee and the Chicago Sister City office have been focusing their efforts on other ventures. If you have an interest in the Osaka Garden Festival, please contact Chicago Sister City International Office.
Friends of the Japanese Garden
A foundation for the Osaka Garden, Friends of the Japanese Garden was formed to promote and sustain the history and enjoyment of the Osaka Japanese Garden. Articles of incorporation were filed on April 1st. 2009 by Timothy Hill, the president of the organization and the Co-chairman of the Chicago Sister Cities International, Osaka Committee. For more information, please contact tim.hill@writegoal.com
History of the Osaka Japanese Garden
1992 - The City of Chicago renamed the Japanese Garden the Osaka Garden to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Chicago and Osaka Sister City partner relationship. Mayor of Osaka, Masaya NIshio, while visiting Chicago, drafted a proposal to donate a traditional gate for the Osaka Garden. The proposal was accompanied by a report which studied 1) the design intent and perception of the original design 2) the current maintenance procedure.
1994 - A delegation from Osaka, including Kenichi Miyazaki, Director-General of the Flower and greenery Promotion Headquarters, visited Chicago in April to present Park District officials with $250,000 for renovation of the garden and to consult on the project.
A complete renovation design for the garden was created by the Seattle based firm of Kobayashi and Associates. The improvements included a formal wood garden entry gate, which stood 10’ high and 25’ wide, and other associated landscape restoration of the garden.
The 250,000 was used for construction contract for the renovation, which was commissioned to E.W. Howell. The western red Cedar entry gate was hand-crafted by John Okumura of Chicago over four month period. The total project cost for the renovation work reached $500,000 including design fee and administrative cost. The Improvement was made possible through the cooperation of the City of Osaka, Department of Flower and greenery Promotion Headquarters of Osaka City, the Chicago Park District, The City of Chicago, Chicago Botanical Garden, Henri Bort, and volunteers of the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardeners. Renovation work started in October of 1994.
1995 - On June 5, the Osaka Garden, including the new entrance gate was dedicated to the City of Chicago.
Above notes on history are taken from the Osaka Garden Historical Report 1995
2008 - In commemoration of the 35th anniversary, a rededication ceremony of the Osaka Japanese Garden was hosted by the City of Chicago on October 18th.