Isamu Taniguchi

I believe the sign on the gate says Zilker Botanical gardens, and certainly they've grown in the last thirty or so years, but they will always be the " Taniguchi Gardens" to me. Mr. Isamu Taniguchi, a Japanese immigrant who with all? the other persons of Japanese descent, was placed in "re-location camps" ( they were concentration camps. period) during WWII decided he owed a debt to Austin after rebuilding his life and proceeded to build single-handedly a three acre Oriental garden on a hillside in Zilker Park.It took him eighteen months. He worked every day of that year and a half. He was seventy-two.

It is wonderful. It is alive. And for the thirty years I've been walking through it, sharing it with others, and sitting on its stones and benches it has only grown more beautiful.My wife and I have made many decisions there. We have had our spirits revived so many times, our peace and conviction restored again and again in its shelter and sounds of gentle water.

It used to be that you could see the few tall buildings that made up downtown Austin from pretty much anywhere in it. Now there are a lot of tall buildings forming our skyline but the trees block them all. And as Austin has grown up around it, it has grown only more peaceful.

I believe Isamu Taniguchi would be pleased.