Chizuko Sueyoshi, leader of the Japanese Tea Practitioners of Durham, hosts a traditional Japanese tea gathering for Yuko Kishida, spouse of the prime minister of Japan; Kristin Cooper, first lady of North Carolina; and Mio (Yamamoto) Maeda, spouse of the consul general of Japan in Atlanta, in the Durham-Toyama Sister Cities Tea Pavilion in the Ruth Mary Meyer Japanese Garden, which is part of the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum in Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Photo by Jared Lazarus
Honored Guests Visit Duke Gardens’ Asiatic Arboretum
Honored Guests Visit Duke Gardens’ Asiatic Arboretum
Duke University and Duke Gardens were honored Friday with a visit from Yuko Kishida, the spouse of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who took part in a traditional Japanese tea gathering in the Gardens.
Led by Chizuko Sueyoshi, leader of the Japanese Tea Practitioners of Durham, the gathering with matcha tea was held in the Durham-Toyama Sister Cities Japanese Pavilion and Teahouse, which is in the Ruth Mary Meyer Japanese Garden of the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum.
Among those in attendance with Kishida were Kristin Cooper, first lady of North Carolina and Mio (Yamamoto) Maeda, spouse of the consul general of Japan in Atlanta.
Kishida also took a tour of the Japanese Garden, accompanied by Paul Jones (pictured right speaking), founding curator of the Asiatic Arboretum, and Michelle Rawlins, the Ruth Mary Meyer Japanese Garden Horticulturist (right). Other Gardens staff participated in the tour, including executive director Bill LeFevre and Kavanah Anderson, director of learning and community engagement.
Others in the Duke community also took part. Three students from the first lady’s home prefecture greeted her at the iconic Meyer Bridge entrance to the garden.
Photos by Jared Lazarus, University Communications and Marketing.
“I really can’t overstate the importance of the relationship that developed between Duke Gardens and the Durham Sisters Cities program, which in time led not only to the establishment of the Durham-Toyama Sister Cities Pavilion and teahouse, but ultimately the further expansion into a culturally significant garden display in the best tradition of Japanese garden design – The Ruth Mary Meyer Japanese Garden,” Jones said in a statement to the press. “Beauty, collaboration, appreciation and exchange of ideas are just a few of the benefits we as participants in this community enjoy every day.”
Anderson said the visit was an incredible honor. “We want all Duke Gardens visitors to feel a sense of belonging and connection to this place, and to find plants and landscapes that are personally meaningful and relevant to their lives,” she said. “We are so glad to be able to offer a sense of home to our very special visitors today through the plants and landscapes of Duke Gardens.”
The tour was part of a larger visit to North Carolina by Fumio and Yuko Kishida. The first lady also met with students at Chapel Hill High School who are learning Japanese language and culture, while Prime Minister Fumio Kishida travelled with N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper to visit several Japanese-owned businesses in the Triangle and Greensboro.
Kristin Cooper, first lady of North Carolina, center; Mio (Yamamoto) Maeda, spouse of the consul general of Japan in Atlanta; background center; and Yuko Kishida, spouse of the prime minister of Japan, walk across the Meyer Bridge.
Chizuko Sueyoshi greets Yuuko Kishida and Kristin Cooper.
