Buddha Light - Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco
by KJ Swan
Title
Buddha Light - Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco
Artist
KJ Swan
Medium
Photograph
Description
The green-patina statue of the Buddha serenely sits in the peaceful Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Recent wildfires added a smoky haze to the air, creating a mystical ambiance around this beautiful piece.
The garden was showcased in the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition. When the fair closed, Japanese landscape architect Makoto Hagiwara remained to create and maintain a permanent Japanese-style garden as a gift for posterity, expanding the garden from one acre to five. Although Mr. Hagiwara poured all of his personal wealth, passion, and creative talents creating a "garden of utmost perfection," he and his family were interned during WWII and were not allowed to return to their home or collect their belongings. But the dead have no boundaries: during my visit, I saw the spirit of Makoto Hagiwara continuing to care for his garden.
Uploaded
December 6th, 2018
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