The Traditional Tea Ceremony is presented the 2nd Saturday of every month at 2:00 pm throughout the year (except December), weather permitting, at a cost of $10.00 per person. Reservations required –director@japaneseculturalcenter.org or 989.759.1648.
The Japanese Cultural Center and the gardens are closed for the 2021 season and will open for the 2022 season on April 1st. We are now accepting reservations for the monthly Tea Ceremony and private/group tea ceremony.
Tea & Tours are available for walk-ins. Advanced reservations recommended. There is a maximum of 15 people per tour.
We will continue to follow all of the current social distancing and mask guidelines as the stated by the CDC. Within the tea house masks are still required.
2022 EVENTS
02/12/2022 – 2nd Saturday Traditional Tea Ceremony – 2:00 – 3:00
03/12/2022 – 2nd Saturday Traditional Tea Ceremony – 2:00 – 3:00
03/26/2022 – Garden Volunteer Day – Saturday, Noon – 2:00
03/26/2022 – Intro to Japanese by Prof. Monika Dix – Saturday, 2:00 – 4:00 – View PDF
04/01/2022 – Gardens and the Tea House opens for the season
04/02/2022 – Docent Volunteer Training – Saturday, 10:00 – 1:00
04/09/2022 – Docent Volunteer Training – Saturday, 10:00 – 1:00
04/09/2022 – 2nd Saturday Traditional Tea Ceremony – 2:00 – 3:00
04/16/2022 – Garden Volunteer Day – Saturday, Noon – 4:00
04/16/2022 – Ukiyo-e: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Prints – Saturday, 1:00 – 3:00 – View PDF
05/14/2022 – 2nd Saturday Traditional Tea Ceremony – 2:00 – 3:00
05/21/2022 – Bonsai Workshop by Jack Sustic, Bonsai Master – Saturday, 1:00 – 4:00 – view PDF
06/04/2022 – Garden Volunteer Day – Saturday, Noon – 4:00
06/11/2022 – Tomodachi Society Tea Ceremony (Prof. Nabeta) – Saturday, 1:00 – 2:00
06/11/2022 – 2nd Saturday Tea Ceremony (Prof. Nabeta) – 2:00 – 3:00
06/25/2022 – Bonsai Workshop by Jack Sustic, Bonsai Master – Saturday, 1:00 – 4:00 – view PDF
07/06/2022 – Ikebana Class (Japanese Flower Arrangement) Class by Judy Thomas – Wednesday, 1:00 – 2:30 – view PDF
07/09/2022 – 2nd Saturday Traditional Tea Ceremony – 2:00 – 3:00
07/13/2022 – Ikebana Class (Japanese Flower Arrangement) Class by Judy Thomas – Wednesday, 1:00 – 2:30 – view PDF
07/14/2022 – Tea Ceremony at Castle Museum (Saginaw), Summer Cultural Celebrations – Thursday, 1:00 – 2:00
07/16/2022 – Garden Volunteer Day – Saturday, Noon – 4:00
07/20/2022 – Ikebana Class (Japanese Flower Arrangement) Class by Judy Thomas – Wednesday, 1:00 – 2:30 – view PDF
07/27/2022 – Ikebana Class (Japanese Flower Arrangement) Class by Judy Thomas – Wednesday, 1:00 – 2:30 – view PDF
08/13/2022 – 2nd Saturday Traditional Tea Ceremony – 2:00 – 3:00
08/20/2022 – August Art and History: Japanese Internment Cam by George Saito, David Yamamoto, and Bob Iwamasa – Saturday, 1:30 – 3:30
09/10/2022 – 2nd Saturday Traditional Tea Ceremony – 2:00 – 3:00
09/17/2022 – Garden Volunteer Day – Saturday, Noon – 4:00
09/18/2022 (Tentative) – Japan Festival – Sunday, 1:00 – 4:00
10/08/2022 – 2nd Saturday Traditional Tea Ceremony – 2:00 – 3:00
10/29/2022 – Garden Volunteer Day – Saturday, Noon – 4:00
11/12/2022 – 2nd Saturday Traditional Tea Ceremony – 2:00 – 3:00
11/18/2022 – Holidays in the Heart of the City by Positive Results Downtown Saginaw – Friday, 5:30 – 8:00
2021 EVENTS
Tokushima-Saginaw Friendship Garden Open to Public: 04/01/2021-10/31/2021
Garden Volunteer Day: 06/05/2021 (Saturday 12:30PM – 3:30PM)
Traditional Tea Ceremony: 06/12/2021
Origami Workshop by Mark Wolf-Ott: 06/26/2021 (Saturday 2PM) Free admission, reservation required
Garden Volunteer Day: 06/26/2021 (Saturday 12:30PM – 3:30PM)
Traditional Tea Ceremony: 07/10/2021
Art & History – Memories of Topaz and Poston Internment Camps by George Saito and Bob Iwamasa: 07/17/2021 (Saturday 1:30PM) Free admission, reservation required
Garden Volunteer Day: 07/17/2021 (Saturday 12:30PM – 3:30PM)
Traditional Tea Ceremony: 08/14/2021
Garden Volunteer Day: 08/28/2021 (Saturday 12:30PM – 3:30PM)
Garden Volunteer Day: 09/04/2021 (Saturday 12:30PM – 3:30PM)
Traditional Tea Ceremony: 09/11/2021
Japan Festival in Saginaw: 09/12/2021 (Sunday 1PM – 4PM) Free admission. Tea Ceremony – $10. View the Festival Poster and Program.
Ikebana Workshop (Flower Arrangement) by Judy Takako Thomas: 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27/2021 (Wednesdays 1PM – 2:30PM). $20 per workshop, flowers included.
Traditional Tea Ceremony: 10/09/2021
Garden Volunteer Day: 10/23/2021 (Saturday 12:30PM – 3:30PM)
Traditional Tea Ceremony: 11/13/2021
Open House, Holidays in the Heart of the City for November has been canceled
Traditional Tea Ceremony for December has been canceled
2020 EVENTS
Japan-Saginaw Week (online): 10/26 – 11/01, 2020
Saginaw-Japan Week was presented as a virtual online event the week of October 26 through November 1, 2020. Videos of the event can be accessed on the Saginaw-Japan Week page.