History

My dream is to create natural spaces that enrich lives ... spaces that connect people horizontally and provide an opportunity to deepen our understanding - not just of ecology, but of ourselves.

Hoichi Kurisu

1964

HK trains in Tokyo under master Japanese garden designer, Kenzo Ogata.

1968

HK arrives from Japan to accept the position of Director of Landscaping at the Portland Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon.

1972

Kurisu International, Inc. founded with a 1957 Ford pickup and one employee. Operates out of an office above the garage.

1978

Design begins for a residential backyard landscape in Rockford, Illinois, a project that will continually evolve for the next 40 years, becoming the not-for-profit organization, Anderson Japanese Gardens and gain national recognition.

1988

Kurisu International receives a national Landscape Design Award for Anderson Japanese Gardens. The award is presented at the White House by First Lady Nancy Reagan.

1992

Kurisu International returns to Washington, D.C. to accept a second national Landscape Design Award, presented at the White House by First Lady Barbara Bush, this time for a large-scale residential landscape involving wetland mitigation.

2001 -- present

After the completion of the Morikami Japanese Gardens, Kurisu moves forward with an even deeper conviction that Japanese gardens can play a critical role as healing spaces in the 21st century. The first decade of the new millennium sees Kurisu design and construct award-winning healing gardens at hospitals, substance-abuse rehabilitation facilities, universities and as community assets.

As society rapidly evolves with our changing world, Kurisu strives to understand contemporary challenges and respond to them. Kurisu continues to pursue our original mission, which has inspired our work from day one: to create restorative experiences which demonstrate the necessity of natural places to physical, mental, and social wellbeing.

This mission has led us to wonderful, cross-disciplinary, and sometimes surprising, collaborations. It has taken Kurisu to the exciting forefront of integrating the ancient philosophy of Japanese gardens in modern society. We are honored to align with visionary partners bringing our work to places like innovative waste water treatment systems and inside a maximum security prison. From humble beginnings with a big dream – nearly 50 years later, we continue to dream big and seek to share the lessons of beauty, compassion and humility that nature offers us.

Healing Gardens

Our Japanese-style healing gardens are designed with an intention for restoration on the deepest levels. We incorporate the ancient philosophies and techniques of Japanese garden design to reawaken the connection between people and nature – between ourselves and the larger, timeless cycles of change and regeneration.