Our Organization:

The Japanese Cultural Center, Tea House, and Gardens of Saginaw, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to promoting intercultural understanding and peace through the art of tea ceremony.

Located in the heart of Saginaw’s Central Park System near downtown, the three-acre Tokushima-Saginaw Friendship Garden has been open to the public for over 50 years and is an endearing symbol of our decades-long friendship with our sister city, Tokushima, Japan. The picturesque garden includes an open field dotted with mature trees, as well as a stretch of shoreline along Lake Linton that offers a stunning view of Ojibwe Island.

As visitors explore the garden, they are treated to Japanese rock landscapes, including a waterfall, a winding stream that flows under a vibrant vermilion arch bridge, and several stone lanterns. One of the highlights of the garden is the collection of rare Tokushima Blue Rocks, which are highly valued for their rare bluish-green color.

Nestled in the garden with lush green foliage is the Awa Saginaw An built in 1985, a genuine sukiya-style Japanese Tea House, built by sukiya daiku – artisanal carpenters. With construction materials imported directly from Japan, the Tea House is treasured as an architectural and cultural landmark.

Since it’s opening in 1986, the Japanese Cultural Center, Tea House, and Gardens of Saginaw has offered tea ceremony demonstrations as cornerstone service to the community – a 500 year old tradition as well as garden and Tea House tours for groups and walk-in visitors . It also offers garden and Tea House tours daily and a variety of programs and festivals showcasing Japanese arts and culture attracting thousands of visitors from the Great Lakes Bay Region and beyond.