Japanese Garden & Cultural Centre, Cowra.
Posted by: 
Tuena
S 33° 49.571 E 148° 41.772
55H E 656967 N 6255822
The Japanese Garden in Cowra is the largest in the Southern hemisphere.
Waymark Code: WMCJAP
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 09/12/2011
Views: 16
Cowra was the site of a Japanese POW Camp during the Second World War. In August 1944 Japanese prisoners stormed the perimeter & made a break for freedom. Four Australians & 231 Japanese prisoners were killed. The deceased Japanese prisoners were buried in war graves nearby & the graves tended to by the local RSL. The graves were ceded to Japan in 1963.
In 1971 the Cowra Tourism Board proposed a Japanese Garden to celebrate the town's strong links to Japan. The Japanese Government agreed to assist out of respect for the way their war dead had been treated.
The garden was designed by Ken Nakajima (1914-2000) a world-renowned designer of Japanese gardens at the time. The first stage was opened in 1979, with a second stage opened in 1986. The gardens were designed in the style of the Edo Period & are a strolling garden. They cover 5 hectares (12 acres). A cherry blossom festival is held in the gardens each year in September.
The Cultural Centre is well worth an inspection as part of your visit to the garden. The contrast between the gardens which are well watered & the surrounding countryside is stark. I spent many hours here & will visit again. The War Graves are worth visiting as they too are beautifully maintained.
Name: Cowra Japanese Garden & Cultural Centre.
Location (specific park it is located within): Cowra Japanese Garden
City: Cowra
Fees: yes
Designer: Ken Nakajima
Date of Creation: October 1979
Garden Website: http://www.cowragarden.com.au/
Parking Coordinates: S 33° 49.554 E 148° 41.802
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Visit Instructions:
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