Art Chowder May | June 2022 Issue No. 39 | Page 59

Visiting the garden transports to you another time , an ancient time in another world ; it is as if a gate opened for you to see China as it was 2,000 years ago with architecture , art , design , and nature in nearly perfect balance . Lan Su is living proof that even today Oregon continues to be richly influenced by Asian cultures .
The Portland New Chinatown / Japantown Historic District
Portland , OR
www . portlandchinatownmuseum . org www . pdxoldtown . org
The Portland Chinatown Museum 127 NW Third Avenue Portland , Oregon 97209
The Portland New Chinatown / Japantown Historic District is made up of Portland ’ s original Japanese community ( Nihonmachi ) and its second or “ new ” Chinatown , once the second largest Chinatown in the U . S .
The Asian immigrant story was different from those of other immigrants to Portland . Due to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the inclusion of the Japanese under the Act ’ s provisions after 1924 , the Chinese and Japanese were more restricted in their movements beyond Portland ’ s wharf and train station . In the face of threats of deportation , and a climate of discrimination and racial hostility , Chinese and Japanese immigrant workers and families built strong immigrant ethnic communities , adapting the existing built environment to reflect their Asian heritage . This included housing the growth of institutions such as schools , churches , family associations and political and social clubs , as well as offices and stores . The Japantown area suddenly disappeared in the spring of 1942 , with the timeline supporting the fact that Japanese Internment ended Japantown or Nihonmachi in Old Town . A major tourist destination , the Japanese American National Plaza , and the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center both are strong reminders of the Japanese historical presence , just as they are sources of pride for Portland ’ s Nikkei community today .
The Portland Chinatown Museum is in the heart of the New Chinatown / Japantown Historic District . Their mission is to collect , preserve and interpret the histories of Portland ’ s Old and New Chinatowns through two- and three-dimensional objects and art , and through oral histories and photographs gathered from individuals , families , businesses , and organizations connected to Portland ’ s Chinatowns .
Portland Japanese Garden
Portland , OR www . japanesegarden . org 611 SW Kingston Avenue Portland , Oregon 97205 ( 503 ) 223-1321
The Portland Japanese Garden is considered one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan .
A well-designed Japanese garden is asymmetrical in shape and the sum of its design elements of stone , water and plants far exceed their individuality . Visit the Flat Garden , The Strolling Pond Garden , The Tea Garden , The Natural Garden and the Sand and Stone Garden and you can see how the design elements work so well
Sapporo Lantern in the Late Summer Dusk ( Photo by Roman Johnston )
Portland Japanese Garden
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