Tbilisi's first Japanese garden opens in the National Botanical Garden of Georgia

A newly established Japanese garden was launched in the National Botanical Garden of Georgia in Tbilisi on Saturday 22 October 2016. The small garden of 250 square metres is situated above the Visitors Centre with a view of the Sololaki Ridge.

It features traditional Japanese garden structures, such as a Torii Gate, a Tasoutou-style stone tower (for happiness and luck), a Kasuga stone lantern, and a traditional red bridge. There is also a conic structure representing Mt. Fuji, which is made from lava directly from the Mt. Fuji slopes, specially transported from Japan to Georgia.

Tbilisi’s mayor, Davit Narmania, opened the new Japanese garden with Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Davit Jalagonia, and the Japanese Ambassador to Georgia, Toshio Kaitani, with other dignatories.

The dignatories planted a number of Japanese trees in the garden, such as Japanese maples, Japanese cherry (Sakura) trees, firs, pines, and other national plants.

The Japanese company, Kosugi Zohen, designed and developed the garden in collaboration with the National Botanical Garden of Georgia in the tradition of Japanese gardens. The Japanese Government contributed to the funding to support the Mayor’s Office through the JAPAN EXPO’70 FUND and the JTI Company.

The Japanese garden was established as a symbol of good relations between Japan and Georgia.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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