Japan House | Hill Street Blues

Cherry Blossoms at Japan House

We are blessed to have a place on the University of Illinois Campus devoted to Japanese culture. Called Japan House, the building and grounds are used throughout the year to provide a link to Japan deep in the heart of the Midwest. As provided on the Japan House web-page, “The mission of Japan House at the University of Illinois is to provide an academic, cultural, and natural setting for promoting an appreciation of Japanese culture and related Asian cultural concepts. Built around the concept of the Way of Tea, with three authentic tearooms, Japan House hosts classes and outreach programs that explore traditional Japanese arts and aesthetics.”

That said, the building and surrounding grounds and gardens have been carefully planned to exude what one would see in Japan. I have been told that what one sees here is as authentic as possible, including work by Japanese artisans. The gardens are exceptional and, with the cherry blossoms now in full bloom, we are privileged to see it at its height. I’ll leave these photos to speak for themselves.