Botanical Center and Japanese Gate

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 4:58 pm

As I mentioned in another thread, my choir, the University Chorus, teamed with Concert Choir and the UNO faculty brass ensemble to perform a few pieces for a large crowd of Japanese delegates from Shizuoka, Japan, one of Omaha's sister cities. The large group of dignitaries and culural representatives were in Omaha to dedicate an ornate Japanese gate, built by traditional craftsmen in Japan, to Omaha's Botanical Center.

Here are some pictures I took of the day.

These are the steps leading from Lauritzen Gardens to the new Kenefik Park.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 7:15 pm

Wonderful photos, Aaron! Great close-ups of the flower and butterfly. The Japanese Cowboy makes it though

Edited to add: Yay post 1,000!

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 7:21 pm

Great as usual Aaron. Thanks for sharing the photos. Would have liked to be there.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 8:45 am

Nice coverage Aaron (I had hoped to be there, but was instead watching marching bands in downtown Columbus, NE) ... the photos are fantastic! This is going to be a huge addition to the gardens when it is fully completed. I'm curious to see how they're going to implement this 'Mt Fuji' replica... will there be a year round snow cap?

I'm not sure how up to date this old site plan is anymore, I'm not seeing the Mt Fuji...

Once again, I sure hope our cities leadership can find something to do for Shizouka which is as seemingly generous as what they've done for us here.

No doubt the guy with the cowboy hat was over at River City Roundup at some point. So Aaron, did you go over to that guy and point out to him that we have no cowboys in Omaha?

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 11:10 am

Thanks for the comments and compliments, guys.

I was thinking the same thing about the site plan, Jeff. Maybe the idea of having a mini Mt. Fuji was a more recent idea. I wonder if they'll do something to the effect of planting white flowers all over the top of it in the spring, summer, and fall.

And I didn't talk to the man in the cowboy hat...he might not have even spoke english. But I will say he was the coolest person there, and probably the coolest person I've seen in general in a long time.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:28 pm

By any chance was the Japanese Cowboy floating down sweat together in Omaha?

-Big E

SaOmaha · Post by **SaOmaha** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 7:35 pm

I have not see a sweating Japanese Cowboy.

StreetsOfOmaha, You have a great photo of the Kinonos Show, Shizuoka, Japan delegation and Sunpu (Japanese) Gate. One photo shows members of the Kiyari group (lumber craft singers) walking up the steps toward Kenefick Park. They took part in the Sunpu Gate Dedication, the day of your visit.

The dedication was a month ago on October 1st. I took photos of the Sunpu Gate Dedication and its construction

Some of my Dedication Ceremony photos included:

Japanese Drums

Salt Purification – small strips of paper represent “salt”.

The walk to Omaha’s Mt Fuji though the Sunup Gate led by the Kiyari Group (lumber craft singers)

More photos of the Gate construction and Dedication can be seen at:

OmahaSunpuGate.org's Photo Gallery
Shuichiro Kohama Menu from Omaha
Steve Adams' Sunpu Castle Gate Replica Photo

Also see the Development forum topic:
Our sister city Shizouka has completed botanical garden gate
http://www.eomaha.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1915

A fall photo of the gate just one month after the Dedication. ...

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Tue Nov 08, 2005 9:30 pm

Is there a reason that they didn't use real salt for the salt dedication?

SaOmaha · Post by **SaOmaha** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 8:41 pm

almighty_tuna, That is a good question. Why?

It easier to see throwing of little strips of paper than salt. Unless it in lumps, real gains of salt is nearly invisible.
Paper is more artistic than Salt
Salt may harm or damage the item you are “purifying”, not with paper.
Paper is easier to cleanup than salt
The real reason, I don’t know

.

SaOmaha · Post by **SaOmaha** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 2:54 pm

A week ago from today, I photographic the sun lit, snow covered Sunpu Gate and Mt Fuji area in Omaha Luaritzen Gardens. It was beautiful and breathtaking! Few days later, all the snow was nearly gone.

All my early winter Sunpu Gate pictures can be viewed at:

http://phpdev.ist.unomaha.edu/~sadams/S ... allery.htm

Shuichiro Kohama (from Japan, the Head Carpenter of gate construction) has the first snow, November 17th photos at:

http://www.geocities.jp/kohamajp/omaha/ ... womaha.htm

Note: all text on this page is in Japanese. Just click on any small image for the full size image.

jjjjhskr · Post by **jjjjhskr** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 3:08 pm

Nicely done!

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 5:10 pm

Huh, I never really thought about going down there in the winter… next time we get a good snow I’m there.