From left: Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, CGF President Brian Yamasaki, Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles Kenko Sone and Shinkichi Koyama of SCGF. Yamasaski and Sone unveiled the monument plaque placed on the wall of Seiryu-en.
By TOMOKO NAGAI
RAFU STAFF WRITER
The Southern California Gardeners’ Federation (SCGF), now in its 70th year, held a commemorative ceremony March 30 at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) in Little Tokyo, unveiling a plaque dedicated to honoring the legacy of Japanese American gardeners.
On the day of the ceremony, a rare morning rain refreshed the JACCC’s Seiryuen, also known as the James Irvine Japanese Garden, creating a serene and vibrant atmosphere for the guests. The event began with a powerful drum performance by Kishin Taiko, followed by the unveiling of the Nikkei Gardeners Memorial Plaque.
SCGF President Brian Yamasaki and Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles Kenko Sone led the unveiling. As the monument was revealed, the audience broke into applause.
The plaque features an inscription in English and Japanese: a senryu that reads, “The greenest beauty is the deep American pride of the Nikkei gardeners,” alongside an explanation of the contributions of those gardeners to the community and the Seiryuen garden itself.
Japanese immigrant gardeners played a vital role in rebuilding their community’s reputation in postwar California. Known for their diligence and honesty, they laid the groundwork for the trust and respect Japanese and Japanese Americans enjoy today.
While there were once 8,000 Nikkei gardeners in the 1960s, their numbers have steadily declined. In response, SCGF decided to preserve their legacy through this permanent monument in Seiryu-en, a garden originally built by SCGF members over two years of volunteer effort following the construction of the JACCC in 1979.
The JACCC graciously offered the garden site for the monument, and the project was funded by SCGF member and community donations.
Reflections on Legacy
Following the unveiling, the program moved indoors for the formal installation of new SCGF officers. Vice President Masao Morisaku (shigin name Kokuyu Morisaku) delivered a shigin recital of his original composition, “Poem of Southern California Gardeners’ Federation.”
President Yamasaki expressed gratitude and reaffirmed the federation’s mission. “The dedication of our members over the past seven decades has been instrumental in keeping this art alive, ensuring that the future generations understand and appreciate the legacy of the Japanese gardens in Southern California.
“This garden stands as a testament to our federation’s commitment to the preservation, and we reaffirm our dedication to maintaining this living legacy for generations to come.”
Greeting remarks were presented by honored guests, such as Consul General Sone, Kihei Otani (president, Nanka Kenjin Kyogikai), Kitty Sankey (former president, Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California), Patricia Wyatt (president and CEO, JACCC), Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), and Raymond Inaoka (president, Vancouver Japanese Gardeners’ Association).
Muratsuchi, currently the only Japanese American in the California Legislature, said, “It’s our community that was built on the backs of Japanese American gardeners … They went into gardening to work hard and to sacrifice for their children, for their grandchildren, for future generations to come”.
Following a toast led by Hisamori Iwashita, 2025 advisor and past president of SCGF and president of the Japanese Garden Preservation Society, guests enjoyed a kaiseki meal prepared by the JACCC chef.
Photographer and children’s book author Sankyaku “Sunny” Seki, who also serves as a senryu judge for the local group Rashin Senryu, delivered a lecture on the history of the SCGF and the significance of senryu composed by Japanese American gardeners. His book “Gardeners’ Pioneer Stories documents the emotional and cultural heritage expressed in the gardeners’ senryu.
Seki also honored the late Shoji Nagumo, known as the “father of Southern California gardeners.”
Looking Ahead
The SCGF currently maintains 11 chapters across Los Angeles and Orange counties. However, the number of Nikkei gardeners continues to shrink, as the Nisei children of Issei gardeners pursued other professional paths thanks to a strong educational foundation given by their hardworking parents.
There are said to be more than 40 authentic Japanese gardens in Southern California and over 90 nationwide. As skilled Japanese gardeners become increasingly rare, proper maintenance is at risk. In response, in 2022, the SCGF launched the Japanese Garden Preservation Society, aiming to apply the experience and knowledge of its members toward long-term care.
Yamasaki emphasized the importance of engaging the younger generation. “So hopefully, we can encourage newer generations to come to the federation for more knowledge, come to the federation to understand or have classes so that they can go out and service this type of garden. And the federation is able to be a source of information for these types of gardens … We’re hoping that the next generation will be able to progress on.”
Due to safety concerns, Seiryu-en is currently closed to the public, except during special events, although visitors still can look down on the sunken garden from JACCC’s Noguchi Plaza.
JACCC President Wyatt explained that past incidents — such as visitors climbing structures or entering the water — necessitated temporary closure. “We have to wait until we can secure it more firmly and have more people on staff to oversee.”
Asked if there is anything the community can do to help, she provided an idea. “I think if we could just have volunteers who could come on a regular basis just to watch and make sure that people don’t climb on the bridges and jump in the water, and watch anyone not to get hurt, that would be wonderful.”
She added, “It is so beautiful. It’s a treasure that everyone should enjoy.”
Seiryu-en, designed by Professor Takeo Uesugi of Pomona College, symbolizes the connection between Issei and Nisei through the convergence of two water streams. The garden stands as a living legacy of cultural preservation.
The new plaque solidifies the federation’s resolve to pass this legacy forward, reaffirming the garden as both a cultural symbol and a point of pride for the Japanese American community.
For more information, contact SCGF at (213) 628-1595.